Ekurhuleni Emergency Management Service says the fire could take some time to extinguish due to the flammable chemicals involved.
A fire rages at a factory in Germiston. Picture: X / Kaya News
Factories in an industrial area of Johannesburg have caught fire, billowing huge black clouds into the air.
The Germiston factories, which house large quantities of flammable chemicals, caught fire shortly after midday on Thursday.
Staff at businesses near Strachan Road had been evacuated as a precaution, with authorities later confirming the incident had claimed one life.
Crews monitored the site throughout the night and confirmed the fire has been extinguished by Friday morning.
Watch: Fire rages at factories on Strachan Road in Germiston
JUST IN: The City of Ekurhuleni’s Disaster and Emergency Management Services are evacuating staff and personnel from factories along Strachan Road in Germiston following a major fire.
– Kaya News (@KayaNews) February 19, 2026
Multiple chemical factories and diesel tankers are reportedly ablaze, sending thick smoke into… pic.twitter.com/fjAZigNhLf
Ekurhuleni Emergency Management Service spokesperson William Ntladi told The Citizen that the fire would take some time to extinguish due to the nature of the chemicals involved.
He said multiple firefighting crews were on site to address the extensive structural fire.
“We are fighting the fire on multiple fronts, focusing on containment to protect adjacent structures.
“Multiple storage containers inside the factory and some light motor vehicles have been damaged,” said Tladi.
Ekurhuleni community safety MMC Mzayifani Ngwenya was on scene on Thursday afternoon to confirm the fire had been contained.
Ngwenya confirmed that the blaze had resulted in at least one fatality.
“However, many of the people have been saved and the site is safe.
“The teams responded with agility, which forms part of our core service delivery model as the City of Ekurhuleni,” the MMC stated.
Ntladi on Friday morning confirmed that the fire had been extinguished as of 6pm and that two engines remained on site to deal with hotspots and possible flare-ups.
“As of this morning, no reignition experienced, meaning the fire is completely out,” he told The Citizen.
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