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17 January 2025
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Tshwane firefighters rescue motorists from floods in Centurion
The City of Tshwane's Emergency Services Department rescued several victims from various incidents that occurred in different locations due of the floods in Centurion, on the night of Friday, 20 December 2024. Lindsay Mnguni, acting public information and media liaison officer, City of Tshwane Emergency Services, said that the first incident was reported to the Emergency Communication Centre (ECC) at about 21h45, as a drowning at the corner of Rabie Street and End Street. “The ECC immediately dispatched firefighting resources from Centurion Fire Station to the scene. These included a fire engine and a district commander’s unit. Other resources were dispatched from Central Fire Station and Innesdale Fire Station as back-up. These included a ladder, a swiftwater rescue unit, a video unit and an additional district commander’s unit”, said Mnguni.
“On arrival, the firefighters found that a car was stuck in the river with two occupants. They immediately began with rescue operations and successfully rescued the two people from the stuck car who were unharmed and had not sustained any injuries”, he added.
“The second incident was reported to the Emergency Communication Centre (ECC) at about 22h10 and the ECC had to divert and reroute some of the resources from the initial incident to the corner of Albert Street and Nellmapius Drive, in Irene Country Estate. On arrival, the firefighters found that a car was also stuck in the river with two occupants. They immediately rescued the patients who were also unharmed and had sustained no injuries,” said Mnguni.
“The third incident was also reported to the Emergency Communication Centre at about 22h11 as a drowning in Lenchen Street and West Street, near the Supersport Park Cricket Stadium. The ECC had already dispatched more resources from Erasmuskloof Fire Station, which included a fire engine, to assist with these incidents resulting from the floods. On arrival, the firefighters found that a car and a motorcycle had been swept away by the strong river currents.”
“The firefighters and rescuers from our Fire and Rescue Operations Division, together with the divers from the South African Police Service and the Gauteng Emergency Medical Services, did a search and rescue operation where they found a female patient who had swum to safety on the riverbank.”
“Sadly, the motorcyclist and the driver of the car were both found deceased and were recovered from the river by the rescuers. The crews also located and rescued another patient at about 23h08, who was holding on to a lamp pole that was engulfed by the overflowing waters from the river, near the Centurion Lake Hotel. This patient was also not injured.”
The operations ended at about 00h20 when all patients were accounted for.
Source: Lindsay Zwelithini Mnguni, acting public information and media liaison officer, City of Tshwane Emergency Services
“On arrival, the firefighters found that a car was stuck in the river with two occupants. They immediately began with rescue operations and successfully rescued the two people from the stuck car who were unharmed and had not sustained any injuries”, he added.
“The second incident was reported to the Emergency Communication Centre (ECC) at about 22h10 and the ECC had to divert and reroute some of the resources from the initial incident to the corner of Albert Street and Nellmapius Drive, in Irene Country Estate. On arrival, the firefighters found that a car was also stuck in the river with two occupants. They immediately rescued the patients who were also unharmed and had sustained no injuries,” said Mnguni.
“The third incident was also reported to the Emergency Communication Centre at about 22h11 as a drowning in Lenchen Street and West Street, near the Supersport Park Cricket Stadium. The ECC had already dispatched more resources from Erasmuskloof Fire Station, which included a fire engine, to assist with these incidents resulting from the floods. On arrival, the firefighters found that a car and a motorcycle had been swept away by the strong river currents.”
“The firefighters and rescuers from our Fire and Rescue Operations Division, together with the divers from the South African Police Service and the Gauteng Emergency Medical Services, did a search and rescue operation where they found a female patient who had swum to safety on the riverbank.”
“Sadly, the motorcyclist and the driver of the car were both found deceased and were recovered from the river by the rescuers. The crews also located and rescued another patient at about 23h08, who was holding on to a lamp pole that was engulfed by the overflowing waters from the river, near the Centurion Lake Hotel. This patient was also not injured.”
The operations ended at about 00h20 when all patients were accounted for.
Source: Lindsay Zwelithini Mnguni, acting public information and media liaison officer, City of Tshwane Emergency Services
