Recycling company on fire in Wadeville

Ekurhuleni firefighters are battling the blaze in a recycling company in Wadeville which is anticipated to last for more couple of days due to fire load in the premises.

Firefighters from Wadeville fire station assisted by crews from Alberton, Hlahatsi and Boksburg central fire stations, all worked tirelessly through the night under extreme dangerous conditions. The call was received around 9:20pm Tuesday evening, August 7, and the first pump arrived on scene few minutes thereafter.

Compressed paper material/bales were staked under live high voltage electrical cables running across Commercial street in Wadeville industrial area Germiston. The fire was burning vigorously encapsulating the bigger area of the company. Flames projected intense heat to the electrical cables which had a potential to snap off.

Eskom electricians had to be called to isolate the power supply from the pylons which are said to convey 88Kv. Prior the isolation, defensive fire operations were put in place for exposure protection and prevention of fire spread.

Secondary to that, there was a ground level fuel tank of unknown capacity which was engulfed by flames. Fuel tanks of such, had a potential to create internal vapor pressure which lead to explosion. Firefighters had to continuously cool it with copious amount of water.

The cause of the fire is still undetermined and is under investigations.

*Supplied by: City of Ekurhuleni

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