Witnesses heard a loud bang and then saw the area enveloped in a large white cloud. The injured man was rushed to a local hospital, reportedly too late to save most of his arm. The Herald was reliably informed that his arm was amputated just above the elbow.
According to anonymous sources, the accident was caused by informal and unlicensed operators, who allegedly service the local taxis’ fire extinguishers, without proper training or the necessary skills or knowledge. A licensed operator, whose identity is known to the Herald, told this reporter there is cause for grave concern. “Refilling or servicing a fire extinguisher is a dangerous affair. If the operator doesn’t know what he’s doing, or tries to cut costs, he can turn the fire extinguisher into a explosive device. Last Wednesday’s explosion is proof of that,” the source told the Herald.
According to the source, servicing or refilling a fire extinguisher is a tricky and costly exercise. When he does it, he not only removes the dry chemical powder from the fire extinguisher, but puts is through a sieve as well. The fire extinguisher is then refilled, using nitrogen at a pressure of 114 Bar. In the past, fire extinguishers have been found that were filled with maize, instead of the regular dry chemical powder and in some cases, normal air instead of nitrogen. Maize flour is extremely flammable and as any high school science student will tell you, oxygen and fire are also not the safest combination.
The Herald talked to some role players in the industry and was told that even in a controlled environment, accidents can still happen. In his business’ case a horrific accident took place some years ago when a new worker was killed by an exploding fire extinguisher.
The difference between safety and exploding fire extinguishers seems to be costs. A licensed operator charges R80 for the service and refill of a fire extinguisher, while the informal and unlicensed operators reportedly charge R40 per extinguisher. A 50% saving in any business is a major cause for strategic direction, but is it worth the injury to -, or even death of innocent passengers?
It is alleged that the man who refilled the fire extinguisher goes by the name of Albert. No further information is known about him at present. At the time of going to press it was still unclear whether a docket had been opened with the local SAPS.
