Tyre fires persist in Pretoria as private firefighters are blocked, while Tshwane emergency teams deploy water tankers and safety units.
The City of Tshwane was yesterday still putting out two fires that started at the weekend after refusing help from volunteers.
DA Tshwane spokesperson for community safety Ally Makhafula on Friday said a fire broke out at a tyre factory in Pretoria North and while needing all the help it could get, the city refused private firefighters’ assistance.
The city’s fire engines struggled to access water at hydrants, while the private fire brigade had a fire engine with water and was ready to go.
The city’s emergency services department acting spokesperson Lindsay Zwelithini Mnguni said they were busy with the last phase of extinguishing a fire that broke out in Pretoria West on Friday at a tyre factory.
City refuses private firefighters’ help
Mnguni said damping down operations were underway.
He said the city’s emergency safety department had sufficient capacity on site, which included 57 firefighters, seven command staff, five water tankers, two fire engines, one ladder truck, one mobile command unit, one hazardous materials unit, two district commander vehicles, two foam tenders and two rapid intervention units to carry out firefighting operations.
“Five additional water tankers from the water and sanitation department have been deployed for additional water shuttling and supply. The teams worked systematically to isolate the fire and manage the intense heat and smoke conditions that are characteristic of tyre-related incidents,” he said.
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“Through coordinated action, the flames have been contained, limiting the extent of the damage and safeguarding nearby communities.”
Mnguni said they acknowledge such large-scale incidents often attracted offers of assistance, but firefighting operations within municipal boundaries must be conducted in accordance with regulatory frameworks and safety protocols.
“In addition to the firefighting effort, the City’s Green Scorpions have been on the scene since the early stages of the incident to address environmental concerns,” he said.
Mnguni said the Green Scorpions were also collecting evidence and data that would inform both compliance reporting and follow-up environmental rehabilitation efforts.
No injuries reported
“There were no injuries reported during the incident. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined,” he said.
Sinoville Brandbestrydingsvereniging (SBBV) spokesperson Zenobia Loock said the thatch roof fire that started on Sunday, flared up again yesterday morning after SBBV and Fidelity were chased away from the scene.
“Residents reported that it took firefighters an hour to respond yesterday morning.
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“The most critical factor when attending to a thatch roof fire is not only to wet the thatch, but also to open up the grass in between layers to prevent the fire from reigniting,” she said.
Loock said a member of the SFFA, a volunteer fire association, who reported the fire to Tshwane, said there was no conflict between volunteers and firefighters on the ground, but there was pressure from city officials, many of whom have never experienced the intense realities of fighting a fire first-hand.
Project coordinator JP Botha said in a legal battle between SBBV and the Tshwane metropolitan municipality, Judge Dennis Davis on Friday delivered a ground-breaking ruling in favour of SBBV.
“Not only must the Tshwane metropolitan municipality pay the legal costs of the SBBV, but Tshwane’s legal team, Motsoeneng Bill Attorneys, must pay the legal costs of SBBV.
Legal battle between SBBV and Tshwane
“The extra windfall in legal costs for SBBV will be used to strengthen civil and private firefighting capabilities. The court battle comes after Tshwane metro sued SBBV so it could cease its private fire service and the SBBV brought a counter-application,” he said.
Botha hailed the judge’s ruling in favour of the SBBV.
“Although the SBBV has already achieved a clear victory, the case continues to enable other private fire services to fulfil that role without interference where the fire service of that area does not have the will or the ability to provide the service to the community.”
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