Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) firefighters prevented what could have been a major catastrophe after a warehouse caught alight in Wadeville.

Wadeville and Vosloorus firefighters responded swiftly to a report of a well-alight warehouse on Murray Road in Wadeville after the incident was reported through the Life-Threatening Emergency Call Centre.
Upon arrival, firefighters found a large section of the structure engulfed in flames.

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Strong winds contributed to the rapid spread of the fire, prompting the initial crews from Wadeville Fire Station to adopt a defensive approach to prevent the flames from spreading while awaiting additional support.

“The warehouse housed about 30 vehicles used for panel beating and repairs. Firefighters managed to protect the vehicles and prevent the fire from causing further damage to the structure.

“The blaze was eventually brought under control and extinguished, with no casualties reported. The scene was declared safe at around 21:00 that evening,” said Dems Spokesperson William Ntladi.

In a separate incident in Magagula Heights outside Vosloorus, a shack fire resulted in the death of a 36-year-old man.

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“Firefighters from Zonkizizwe and Palm Ridge fire stations responded to reports of a single shack on fire with a possible person trapped inside,” said Ntladi.

“On arrival, firefighters found that the single-roomed shack had already been destroyed by the fire. After extinguishing the remaining flames, they conducted search, rescue and recovery operations and recovered the charred body of a 36-year-old man from beneath the burnt rubble,” said Ntladi.

Paramedics and members of the SAPS were called to the scene.

The man was declared dead at the scene after sustaining full-thickness burn wounds.

The cause of the fire remains undetermined and is being investigated by fire safety officials and the police.