Tyre warehouse burns throughout the night
Emergency services were still trying to put out the fire that started Monday evening at a warehouse in Pretoria West, on Tuesday morning.
PHOTO: Nthabiseng Madumo
On Tuesday morning, Tshwane emergency services were still trying to put out a fire at a tyre and rim factory in Soutter Street, Pretoria West, which started on Monday evening.
At 12:15 on Tuesday when Rekord spoke to the emergency services spokesperson, Johan Pieterse, he confirmed they were still at the scene.
“We will not leave the scene until the fire is completely put out. We need to get to the bottom of the debris where most of the heat is so we can distinguish it there,” said Pieterse.
According to resident Erick Cordier, the fire started at about 22:00 and was only reported later to the emergency services. He said the fire was still burning even in the morning after the emergency services fought to put it out.
Pieterse said a fire truck arrived at the scene around 22:40 to find the Solly’s Agencies’ two-storey warehouse consumed in flames and the roof had collapsed.
“The fire was brought under control and was extinguished in two hours. The emergency services worked throughout the night to cool down the burning embers and to stop the fire from reigniting.”
He said the office part of the building was saved and firefighters stopped the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings.
A few vehicles parked on the premises were saved and removed but some were damaged.
It is believed two vehicles were burned during the fire. The owners of the business would not speak to anyone about what happened.
A concerned business owner, a stone’s throw from the business, said he was called on Monday night by his guard, informing him about the fire and when he arrived at this business he found the emergency services fighting to stop the fire from spreading.
“Today (Tuesday) there is more smoke than last night. I am just glad the fire did not spread,” said the business owner who would not give his name.
Pieterse said the damage to the business could run into millions of rand.
“The cause of the fire was not immediately clear,” Pieterse said.
Read: Tyre warehouse catches fire in Pretoria West
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