NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 19

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

BUCKETS VS BLAZES

A fire in a South African shantytown underscores the risk
faced by informal settlements worldwide
The impoverished residents of Cape Town's settlements are accustomed to such events. In July 2019, a
fire in Masiphumelele killed one person and left 1,000
people homeless. In December 2019, seven more
people died in fires that occurred in Masiphumelele
and three other Cape Town settlements. In 2015,
4,000 people were left homeless in yet another fire in
Masiphumelele, and at least five people were killed and
4,000 left homeless in a massive fire at the Khayelitsha
settlement in 2013.
NFPA Journal has reported on the extensive challenges of fire in informal settlements around the world, as
well as projects underway to reduce the risk of fire in
these areas. To read more about those efforts, visit
nfpa.org/shantytowns. -Jesse Roman

GETT Y IMAGES

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe the informal settlements in Cape Town, South Africa, as among
the world's most dangerous places for home fires.
The latest in a long string of calamities occurred
December 17 in the Masiphumelele informal settlement,
located on Cape Town's southern peninsula. It started
in late afternoon when the Cape Town Fire and Rescue
Service was alerted to a plume of black smoke rising from
the settlement. Responders arrived to a fire that " was being fanned by strong winds and spreading at an alarming
rate, " according to a spokesperson for the fire service.
By the time the fire was extinguished, nine hours later,
it had leveled an estimated 1,000 homes, many of them
simple shacks made of wood and corrugated steel.
Remarkably, no deaths or injuries were reported.

N F PA . O R G / J O U R N A L * NFPA JOURNAL

Dispatches_Spring 2021 SJS APPROVED AS FINAL.indd 19

| 19

1/29/21 6:34 PM


http://www.nfpa.org/shantytowns http://nfpa.org/JOURNAL

NFPA Journal - Spring 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - Spring 2021

Contents
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - Cover1
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - Cover2
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 1
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 2
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 3
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - Contents
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 5
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 6
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 7
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 8
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 9
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 10
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 11
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 12
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 13
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 14
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 15
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 16
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 17
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 18
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 19
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 20
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 21
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 22
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 23
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 24
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 25
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 26
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 27
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 28
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 29
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 30
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 31
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 32
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 33
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 34
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 35
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 36
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 37
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 38
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 39
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 40
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 41
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 42
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 43
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 44
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 45
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 46
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 47
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 48
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 49
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 50
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 51
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 52
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 53
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 54
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 55
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 56
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 57
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 58
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 59
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 60
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 61
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 62
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 63
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 64
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 65
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 66
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 67
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 68
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 69
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 70
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 71
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 72
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 73
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 74
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 75
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 76
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 77
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 78
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 79
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - 80
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - Cover3
NFPA Journal - Spring 2021 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2024winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2024fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2024summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2024spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2023winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2023fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2023summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2023spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2022winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2022fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2022summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2022spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2021winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2021fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2021summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2021spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20200708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20200506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20200304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20200102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20191112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20190910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20190708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20190506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20190304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20190102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20181112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20180910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20180708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20180506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20180304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20180102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20171112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20170910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20170708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20170506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20170304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20161112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_201610_sprinkler
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20130708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20130506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20130304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20130102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20121112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20120910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20120708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20120506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20120304
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com