Recycling company catches fire in Ekurhuleni

Picture: Pexels

Picture: Pexels

Published Aug 8, 2018

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Ekurhuleni - Ekurhuleni firefighters were extinguishing a fire at a recycling company in Wadeville, Germiston on Wednesday afternoon.

Ekurhuleni Emergency Services Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) spokesman William Ntladi said emergency personnel were called on Tuesday evening at around 9pm and the fire was anticipated to last for more couple of days due to fire load on the premises.

“Compressed paper material/bales were staked under live high voltage electrical cables running across Commercial street. The fire was burning vigorously encapsulating the bigger area of the company. Flames projected intense heat to the electrical cables which had a potential to snap off,” said Ntladi.

“Eskom electricians had to be called to isolate the power supply from the pylons which are said to convey 88Kv. Prior the isolation, defensive fire operations were put in place for exposure protection and prevention of fire spread.”

Ntladi said there was a ground level fuel tank of unknown capacity which was engulfed by flames. Fuel tanks of such, had a potential to create internal vapour pressure which lead to explosion.

Firefighters had to continuously cool it with copious amount of water.

The cause of the fire is still unknown and is under investigations.

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African News Agency (ANA)

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