Multiple explosions rocked a chemical factory in Germiston South, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of workers as firefighters battled to contain the blaze. Picture Credit: The Citizen
By Aisha Zardad
Germiston – Hundreds of workers — including staff from nearby businesses — were forced to evacuate after a large structural fire involving highly volatile and flammable chemicals broke out at the Rolfes Chemical Company in Germiston South on Thursday.
The blaze triggered multiple heavy explosions, forcing the immediate evacuation of surrounding factories. Manufacturing activities at nearby companies were temporarily suspended as a precaution.
Ekurhuleni Emergency Medical Services spokesperson William Ntladi confirmed that one man sustained second-degree burns to his lower body and was taken to hospital for treatment.
He said fire crews from several City of Ekurhuleni stations responded swiftly after the emergency call was received.
“Upon arrival, firefighters conducted a scene size-up and risk assessment, which led to the evacuation of the affected area. Crews adopted a defensive firefighting strategy to prevent the flames from spreading to neighbouring businesses,” Ntladi said.
Firefighters faced ongoing challenges as heated metal containers continued to detonate during the blaze.
“Teams worked to defensively protect an adjacent recycling company and other nearby businesses from potential ignition,” he added.
As a safety measure, roads surrounding the factory were temporarily closed to both vehicles and pedestrians.
Preliminary investigations suggest that an undisclosed, highly volatile chemical may have ignited after a spark occurred while it was being offloaded from a truck into storage tanks.
“The fire has since been extinguished, and emergency teams are currently conducting damping-down operations to cool remaining hotspots,” he said.
