Three injured, one killed in separate fire incidents in Joburg

Three people have been injured after at least 36 shacks caught fire in Industria, Johannesburg

It understood the blaze broke out at the  Zamimpilo Informal Settlement early on Saturday morning.

Johannesburg Emergency Services (EMS) spokesperson Xolile Khumalo said emergency workers responded to the incident just after at 4:30am.

“A total of 36 shacks burnt down and three people sustained injuries. The cause of blase is being investigated.”

Woman killed

In a sperate incident, a woman in her mid-thirties died in a fire incident that occurred at a ten-room room house in Lehae extension one, south of Johannesburg on Saturday morning.

Khumalo said the cause of the blaze is under investigation.

“On arrival Firefighters found the living area of the house engulfed by fire.  The deceased woman had already been taken out by the community.”

Khumalo has urged residents of Johannesburg to be cautious of their surroundings during the evening.

“Please ensure that appliances switched off and extinguish open fires at night as  Winter slowly recedes.”

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Gas pipeline

Meanwhile, the cause of a blaze that saw 2 500 police officers being evacuated from a nearby building is under investigation after a gas pipeline fire flared in Pretoria West.

Multiple streets were closed this week after additional firefighting resources were dispatched from Innesdale, Hatfield, Atteridgeville, Silverton, Centurion and Rosslyn fire station scene as backup to battle the blaze.

Tshwane’s emergency services department acting spokesperson Lindsay Zwelithini Mnguni said on arrival, firefighting units found a huge fire due to a burning underground gas pipeline.

“An outbuilding was also burning, but firefighters extinguished the fire before it could spread to a nearby house.

“The pipeline fire was left to burn by firefighters, who initiated evacuation procedures in the area for a radius of about 500m due to safety concerns,” he said.

Technicians from Sasol confirmed that natural gas was burning under pressure and assisted by shutting off the nearest valves that supply the pipeline.

Additional reporting by Marizka Coetzer

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