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Cape Town – A Johannesburg-based aerosol factory executed their evacuation with precision, after a fire started in the warehouse on Friday afternoon, causing multiple explosions.
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Emergency Services spokesperson William Ntladi told Fin24 that one person had minor burns to his leg and was rushed to Arwyp Medical Centre in Kempton Park.
The factory, owned by multinational consumer goods company Reckitt Benckiser, is based on Jansen Road in Jet Park, a stone's throw away from OR Tambo Airport.
Jansen Road was closed while the canisters were exploding, said Ntladi, but has since reopened. “We got a call at 15:00 and dispatched seven fire engines with their full teams attending to the scene,” he said.
“The rest of the staff were accounted for and there are no other injuries,” he said. “The people were in the warehouse, but they managed to evacuate everyone from the structure that caught fire.”
“With the aerosols exploding all over the factory, the speedy evacuation was well done,” he said. “Emergency services contained the fire to prevent it from spreading, but the structure was made of corrugated iron and has crumbed, so we can’t get inside. The fire has now been contained and we are dealing with damping down and cooling off the hotspots.”
“We will be here for the next two hours,” he said.
Many commuters took to Twitter after seeing the fire and hearing the explosions:
Where the factory was based:
- Did you see the fire? Send us your photos.
- Fin24.
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Emergency Services spokesperson William Ntladi told Fin24 that one person had minor burns to his leg and was rushed to Arwyp Medical Centre in Kempton Park.
The factory, owned by multinational consumer goods company Reckitt Benckiser, is based on Jansen Road in Jet Park, a stone's throw away from OR Tambo Airport.
Jansen Road was closed while the canisters were exploding, said Ntladi, but has since reopened. “We got a call at 15:00 and dispatched seven fire engines with their full teams attending to the scene,” he said.
“The rest of the staff were accounted for and there are no other injuries,” he said. “The people were in the warehouse, but they managed to evacuate everyone from the structure that caught fire.”
“With the aerosols exploding all over the factory, the speedy evacuation was well done,” he said. “Emergency services contained the fire to prevent it from spreading, but the structure was made of corrugated iron and has crumbed, so we can’t get inside. The fire has now been contained and we are dealing with damping down and cooling off the hotspots.”
“We will be here for the next two hours,” he said.
Many commuters took to Twitter after seeing the fire and hearing the explosions:
LPG cylinders on fire on Jansen rd in Jet Park. @EMER_G_MED on scene. @ewnreporter @BoksburgNews pic.twitter.com/LDMVBSn2xU
— The Legend (@MedixGauteng) November 28, 2014Something is on definitely on fire in Jet Park. pic.twitter.com/Gbsp53V1IQ
— Jonty Rosenthal (@jonty1973) November 28, 2014Factory fire on Jansen rd in Jet Park Boksburg. @ER24EMS on scene. pic.twitter.com/n5aHGcmkXX
— ER24JHBEast (@ER24JHBEast) November 28, 2014Where the factory was based:
- Did you see the fire? Send us your photos.
- Fin24.
