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Crews tackle another building fire in Durban CBD
A fire broke out in the Durban CBD on Thursday, 10 February 2022. Videos circulating on social media show a building well alight. Acting DC Sifiso Mbatha of eThekwini Fire and Emergency Services, said, “On 10 February 2022 at around 18h42, a fire bell was dropped at Jacobs Fire Station (C3J) for a building alight in the Durban Central. This fire station was the closest one since both the fire engines for Durban Central Fire Station (C1 C) were out on a call out. One appliance was attending a motor vehicle accident and the other one was dispatched just before the commencement of 18h00 shift for smoke emitting from a building at Umgeni Road. When C3J was dispatched, the vehicle was in the Durban central area. As the vehicle was Mobile to Commercial Street for building alight the officer mentioned on the communication radio that they can see huge thick black smoke. Immediately I left the incident at Umgeni Road for this building alight in Commercial Street.”
Mbatha added, “In less than five minutes RPO9 (C3J appliance) booked in attendance at the building fire and reported a building well alight. Offensive attack mode was initiated with two lines, one protecting the adjacent building and one throwing water inside the building. The officer in charge also reported that there were a lot of people on the street and she required law enforcement as some of the people were take goods from inside the building. On my arrival as an incident commander, a line from the nearby hydrant was supplying the rescue pumper. Metro Police was removing the crowd away from the building and stopping them from entering the building. No persons were injured at that time and there were no reports of a missing person. More resources booked in attendance and sectorisation was formulated: one team on the north side of the building to stop the spread of fire towards the school while another team on the west side of the building protecting and stopping the spread of fire toward the supermarket The liquor store on the east side of the building was being protected by the team that arrived first on scene.’ “Two fire teams were attacking the fire from the south side of the building. This is where the main entrance to the building was that leads out to the street. We had five rescue pumpers, three water tankers, a foam carrier (mainly for the deck water monitor), foam tender (mainly for deck the water monitor), chemical unit (BA cylinder refill) and a command vehicle on scene”, said Mbatha. “Fire fighters worked timelessly and effortlessly to try and save the three adjacent buildings and to douse the flames. For hours they were going in and out, changing BA cylinder one after another. Brigade had fire under control just below four hours and none of the surrounding buildings were affected by fire. No fire fighter sustained injuries and no one was reported missing. The cause of fire is being investigated”, Mbatha said. “This was a multi-purpose occupancy. The south side ground floor was used as shops, fast food take-aways and salons. The first floor and the shops below were only occupied three quarters of the building width. The first floor was used as residential and the remainder of the building was used as storage for street vendor’s goods. The take away shops were using gas bottles. Only hose reels and DCP were installed as fire protection. The locking mechanism of the shop made it difficult to reach a padlock, the doors were of a strong metal steel. This had an impact on the fire fighters’ operation. Initially water supply was a concerning factor but soon after water tankers and the discovery of another fire hydrant from a different water main, supplied water continuously”, Mbatha added. “The fire was extinguished and damping down hot spots took place after midnight. Down scaling resources started to take place. The secondary survey was performed by all five officers and the incident commander. The incident was terminated at 03h11am”, concluded Mbatha. Source: Acting DC Sifiso Mbatha, eThekwini Fire and Emergency Services |
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