A fire tore through the informal settlement known as Wingfield ‘Tent City’ in Maitland on Thursday evening, destroying a white marquee tent and several other structures, and leaving over 200 people displaced.

According to the City’s Fire and Rescue Service, emergency calls were received around 17:00, reporting multiple informal structures alight off Voortrekker Road, opposite the Maitland Cemetery.

The City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre (DRM) has since activated relief efforts and is coordinating assistance for those affected. Disaster Management Officers remain on scene, conducting preliminary assessments and compiling data on the number of displaced residents.

Humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers also deployed teams to the scene after being inundated with calls for help from community leaders, human rights activists, and fire victims.

The organisation confirmed that the entire settlement was destroyed, leaving residents, many of whom were recently served with eviction notices, without shelter or possessions.

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“Hot meals and bottled water will be distributed this evening once firefighters extinguish the remaining flare-ups,” the organisation said. “Our teams will continue operations into tomorrow and the coming days to provide ongoing support to those affected.”

While structures on the perimeter of the site remain intact, those who lived in the destroyed tents have been offered the option of temporarily returning to unaffected structures or staying with friends and family.

DRM is also liaising with local shelters and safe spaces to identify available beds as a third accommodation option.

Once the site has been fully cleared by the Fire and Rescue Service, a grader will be brought in to assist with debris removal.

Authorities and humanitarian partners are expected to continue relief and recovery operations into the weekend as the extent of the damage becomes clearer.