After a runaway fire damaged many warehouses in the Bowker Park Business Centre in the early hours of Saturday morning, 12 February 2022, police in Komani, Eastern Cape, are investigating an arson case.
Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli, a police spokesperson, said in a statement on Saturday that the damage is believed to be approximately R80 million.
Nkohli said one of the affected buildings housed the SAPS Supply Chain Management Offices. He said the damaged and destroyed warehouses held the stock for furniture stores as well as vehicles. “A case of arson was opened for further investigation.”
According to this article by Shadley Nash on the Algoa FM webpage, DA constituency leader for the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality, Jane Cowley, said this was the fifth devastating fire in the town in recent months.
She said the Fire Department remains incapable of rendering a fire-fighting service as they have no functional vehicles and no equipment.
Another well researched article written by Stephen Faulkner for the Daily Maverick on 21 April 2021 reports the alarming footage of the flames in Cape Town and Johannesburg has once again served as a smokescreen for the awful status of our fire services, particularly in the metros.
For example, Johannesburg is meant to have around 100 fire trucks on standby to deal with outbreaks and other problems everywhere in the city. There were only five (yes, five) appliances to cover the entire city, including our townships, at the time of the Bank of Lisbon fire on September 6, 2018.
The fire at the Bank of Lisbon was not handled correctly. The fire lasted for three days, and it would have burnt even longer if it hadn't been for the arrival of firefighters from nearby municipalities and OR Tambo Airport.
Three years later, the same procedures were required at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital due to the local fire department's inability to cope. Nothing has changed in three years. Many firefighters believe the situation is far worse. If a fire breaks out somewhere else while such an occurrence is going place, the people will be left to their own devices.
Read the full article: MAVERICK CITIZEN OP-ED: Cape Town and Joburg blazes hide shocking truth about SA’s fire services https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-04-21-cape-town-and-joburg-blazes-hide-shocking-truth-about-sas-fire-services/
Given the number of fires in recent years, it has been standard practice in South Africa to ensure that your facility is sufficiently prepared for any fire-related emergency. The focus has turned to the private sector and building owners to ensure that their assets, as well as the lives of their tenants and staff, are safeguarded.
Contact SFE Services for any fire related enquiry. "We feel passionate about fire safety before a fire breaks out." says Kyle Robertson, Marketing manager at SFE Services. "We give Free advice and free surveys to assist with fire regulations".
Firefighters try to extinguish a fire in the Bank of Lisbon building in central Johannesburg on 6 September 2018. Three firefighters were killed. (Photo by Gallo Images / Sowetan / Sandile Ndlovu)
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