With no fire station in St. Francis, volunteers could only do so much, before fire engulfed close to 100 homes this weekend. Click through for an aerial shot – taken the morning after.

This, from News24:

A fire destroyed or damaged 76 houses in St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape, the Kouga municipality said on Monday morning.

“[The] number of houses razed or damaged by last night’s [Sunday’s] fire has been put at 76,” spokesperson Laura-Leigh Randall said.

“Mop-up operations are underway. The cause of the fire is unknown at this stage but the [police’s] forensic unit will be investigating.”

Earlier the Kouga municipality estimated over 100 houses were damaged.

Randall said Eastern Cape Local Government MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane was expected to arrive in St Francis Bay at 11:00 and then a briefing would take place in Humansdorp.

The fire started around 17:30 on Sunday at the Royal Wharf developments.

With no fire station in St Francis Bay, it was up to volunteers to initially try and put out the flames that destroyed homes and property in the coastal resort.

Many people sought refuge at the local golf club, reported Eyewitness News.

Mayor Booi Koerat of the Kouga district municipality said: “We have had fires before but never anything like this,” reported Beeld.

Homeowner Roché van Loggerenberg said no home in the village was valued under R3m.

[more here and here]

This Aerial photograph was tweeted by @konradkarlhoffman