CITY of uMhlathuze firefighters got an early start to the week when in the early hours of Monday morning a fire broke out at a restaurant in Empangeni’s Tanner Road.
While no injuries were reported, Umhambi Foods was completely gutted inside, while the adjacent Rail Tavern sustained serious smoke damage.
The fire department reacted very quickly and managed to stop the potentially catastrophic spread of the fire, with a businesses that stocks large amounts of chemicals in a neighbouring shop.
Mark Joseph of Nite Owl Security explained his security guards had noticed the fire when reacting to an alarm triggered by thick smoke just after 5am.
‘Armed reaction officers responded to the alarm signal coming from the Rail Tavern when they discovered the fire.
‘They immediately alerted the fire department who reacted very quickly and professionally,’ said Joseph.
While a full investigation will be conducted, witnesses at the scene claimed the fire broke out inside the restaurant after a worker staying there overnight fell asleep on a foam mattress while smoking a cigarette.Kyle Cowan
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