Firefighters battle stubborn Centurion tyre blaze
“Dumped tyres around many areas like Valhalla, Klerskoord and Ekandustria, just to mention a few are a problem.”
Tshwane firefighters worked hard to try and put out a blaze that started when a pile of tyres caught fire at an open veld near Valhalla recreational centre on Saturday morning.
Tshwane metro emergency services spokesperson Charles Mabaso said firefighters were monitoring the area on Sunday, after receiving a call at 10:00 on Saturday.
“The fire was put out in the late afternoon, but later in the evening, we were called to the same area after it reignited,” he said.
Mabaso said even though no properties or lives were in danger, such fires were a problem in the area and could pose a hazard to the environment.
“Dumped tyres around many areas like Valhalla, Klerskoord and Ekandustria, just to mention a few, are a problem,” he said.
“Environmental management has been notified of the incident.”
He said once involved in a fire, such tyres not only became an environmental hazard due to smoke emission, they were very difficult to extinguish with water only.
“The water used to extinguish such fires also becomes an environmental hazard as the runoff may contaminate nearby streams and the groundwater due to slippage.”
According to a resident who lives near the veld Rina Lombard, the fire was still ablaze on Sunday morning.
She said people often dumped rubble at the site.
“That place was officially not a dumping site,” said Lombard.
“Some people dump rubble in a hole in the middle of the veld, almost filling up the hole.”
She said during the week, she spotted two trucks loading off some rubble.
“I only realised after the fire broke out that, that’s what they were loading off.
Lombard said there were also people living inside the compound who also seemed to be in conflict with one another.
She said she watched how firefighters battled the fire.
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