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Fire breaks out at South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Army College
Fire broke out in the building housing the Centre for Conflict Simulation on the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Army College campus in Thaba Tshwane on Tuesday, 25 October 2022. The SANDF Directorate: Corporate Communication (DCC) reports no-one was injured and the fire was controlled and extinguished by military fire fighters from the nearby S South African Air Force (SAAF) base at Swartkops and City of Tshwane Emergency Services. Charles Mabaso, deputy chief: public information and liaison officer, City of Tshwane Emergency Services, said, “The Tshwane Emergency Services Department responded to a building fire that occurred at the SA Army College in Thaba Tshwane at about 14h00.”
“The Emergency Control Centre (ECC) dispatched Station 1 (Bosman Fire Station) to a building at Thaba Tshwane, Centurion, at the SA Army College. The ECC immediately activated Station 7 (Phillip Nell Park Fire Station) as a backup station”, added Mabaso. Response times Incident Number: F2210/0425 Date: 25 October 2022 Time of call: 14:00 Time informed: 14:02 Time responded: 14:02 Time of arrival: 14:15 Address: SA Army College situated at the corner of Hendrik Potgieter Road and Van Riebeeck Road. Type of incident: Code 017 (Building Fire) 
Mabaso said, “The District Commander’s Unit also turned out to the incident and called for further backup form other stations via the ECC. On arrival Acting District Commander Lindsay Mnguni immediately assumed incident command (IC) and informed the SANDF personnel that Tshwane Emergency Services are on the way and should arrive at any moment. He established SA Army College Command. Engine arrived on scene and initiated fire attack. All occupants of the buildings were evacuated and confirmed by SANDF prior to Tshwane Emergency Services Department arrival. Water supply was done via the nearby hydrant next to the structure.”
“The Ladder 11 and Tanker 41, together with E171 from Station 17 Hazelwood Fire Station) were redirected from the Army College incident to attend to the house fire that occurred in Salvokop. The fire was successfully extinguished and no injuries were sustained except for one military personnel that was injured on the hand with a minor cut and was treated on scene by first aiders”, he added. 
The extent of damage to the freestanding building on the southern side of the Army College campus will, according to Brigadier General Andries Mahapa, be “assessed” as part of an already underway investigation. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.
The Army College campus is home to a number of facilities including its main building which is a provincial site under protection of the SA Heritage Resources Agency. Other buildings on the site house lecture rooms and accommodation for students attending courses and the landward force’s peace mission training centre. Mahapa said further information would be communicated in due course or when made available by “relevant authorities”. In January fire broke out in the bulk fuel installation at Air Force Base (AFB) Waterkloof but was contained within an hour of it starting by base fire fighters without loss of life. Sources: Charles Mabaso, deputy chief: public information and liaison officer, City of Tshwane Emergency Services and Defence Web |
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