|
|
|
|
|
22 August 2025
|
Swift response by Tshwane Emergency Services prevents the spread of Pretoria North tyre factory fire
The City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department (ESD) confirms that a tyre factory in Pretoria North caught fire earlier today, 16 August 2025. Lindsay Mnguni, acting public information and media liaison officer at the City of Tshwane Emergency Services, said, “Upon notification, multiple firefighting resources were dispatched by the Emergency Communication Centre and promptly arrived at the scene. Their primary objective was to secure the perimeter of the fire and prevent the fire from spreading to surrounding properties, which was achieved successfully. A firefighter suffered a minor injury during incident operations and was treated on the site but did not go to hospital.”
“Tshwane ESD 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 were deployed on the scene for additional water shuttling and supply,” he added.
Mnguni said, “The teams worked systematically to isolate the fire and manage the intense heat and smoke conditions that are characteristic of tyre-related incidents. Through coordinated action, the flames were soon contained, limiting the extent of the damage and safeguarding nearby communities.”
“Damping-down firefighting or mopping operations continued and the crews remained on the scene until the fire is completely extinguished due to its complexity. Considerable work has been achieved in the four days since the fire broke out and our firefighters are painstakingly unbundling the many tyres that were being processed on this site. Some of the tyres that caught fire melted and joined together. Wood and metals also added to the fire load and created a further challenge of inaccessibility of the fire hotspots underneath these huge tyres, some of which were four metres in height. The estimated involved outside storage area is about 10 000 square metres and of varying stacking height. Our teams are using heavy machinery and equipment, such as tractor-loader-backhoes (TLBs) and bulldozers, to move the smouldering tyres, and heaps of burning ashes from the fireground so they can hose the concealed fire, thus extinguishing it completely. There are still adequate resources on-site, and we are hoping to come to the end of the firefighting operations soon, although the recovery processes may still continue,” he added.
“In addition to the firefighting efforts, the City’s Green Scorpions are constantly on the scene of the incident to address environmental concerns. Their role has been crucial in monitoring the impact of the smoke and contaminated water runoff, ensuring that mitigation measures are in place to protect surrounding communities, soil, and nearby water sources. The Green Scorpions are also collecting evidence and data that will inform both compliance reporting and follow-up environmental rehabilitation efforts. The Green Scorpions will continue to monitor environmental impacts throughout the clean-up phase, working alongside the emergency teams to ensure both human and ecological safety are prioritised.”
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Looking forward, the city will continue to strengthen emergency readiness through ongoing training, fleet management, and intergovernmental collaboration. Our commitment is to uphold the highest safety standards while ensuring that communities receive dependable, professional and lawful emergency response services at all times.
Source: Lindsay Zwelithini Mnguni, acting public information and media liaison officer, City of Tshwane Emergency Services
“Tshwane ESD 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 were deployed on the scene for additional water shuttling and supply,” he added.
Mnguni said, “The teams worked systematically to isolate the fire and manage the intense heat and smoke conditions that are characteristic of tyre-related incidents. Through coordinated action, the flames were soon contained, limiting the extent of the damage and safeguarding nearby communities.”
“Damping-down firefighting or mopping operations continued and the crews remained on the scene until the fire is completely extinguished due to its complexity. Considerable work has been achieved in the four days since the fire broke out and our firefighters are painstakingly unbundling the many tyres that were being processed on this site. Some of the tyres that caught fire melted and joined together. Wood and metals also added to the fire load and created a further challenge of inaccessibility of the fire hotspots underneath these huge tyres, some of which were four metres in height. The estimated involved outside storage area is about 10 000 square metres and of varying stacking height. Our teams are using heavy machinery and equipment, such as tractor-loader-backhoes (TLBs) and bulldozers, to move the smouldering tyres, and heaps of burning ashes from the fireground so they can hose the concealed fire, thus extinguishing it completely. There are still adequate resources on-site, and we are hoping to come to the end of the firefighting operations soon, although the recovery processes may still continue,” he added.
“In addition to the firefighting efforts, the City’s Green Scorpions are constantly on the scene of the incident to address environmental concerns. Their role has been crucial in monitoring the impact of the smoke and contaminated water runoff, ensuring that mitigation measures are in place to protect surrounding communities, soil, and nearby water sources. The Green Scorpions are also collecting evidence and data that will inform both compliance reporting and follow-up environmental rehabilitation efforts. The Green Scorpions will continue to monitor environmental impacts throughout the clean-up phase, working alongside the emergency teams to ensure both human and ecological safety are prioritised.”
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Looking forward, the city will continue to strengthen emergency readiness through ongoing training, fleet management, and intergovernmental collaboration. Our commitment is to uphold the highest safety standards while ensuring that communities receive dependable, professional and lawful emergency response services at all times.
Source: Lindsay Zwelithini Mnguni, acting public information and media liaison officer, City of Tshwane Emergency Services
