By Claudine Senekal
Alfred Duma Municipal firefighters battled late into the early evening of Wednesday, 18 May, after a devastating blaze completely engulfed a storeroom at the Why Waste Management Centre on Circle Road. Billowing black smoke and metre-high flames could be seen from the storeroom as firefighters braved the sweltering heat of the fire to extinguish the blaze.
Officials told The Ladysmith Herald that no one was injured during the incident and that most staff working on the site had been safely evacuated. Councillor Abbas Warasally thanked the fire department for their prompt response to the emergency and their tireless, brave work to keep the fire from spreading. “It is just sad that the firefighters had to struggle with water since most fire hydrants have been removed from the area.”
Cllr Warasally said that he will immediately make arrangements and call for an urgent meeting with uThukela District Municipality to see if fire hydrants can be replaced and maintained. “It is disheartening to watch firefighters struggle to get water and then leave the scene to fill up the pump,” he added.
Cllr Warasally thanked Total Depo and Bawas, who had provided water to be brought to the scene to assist with the fight against the fire. Officials on the scene said that it is still not clear what had caused the fire and investigations are ongoing.
