Firemen killed in Joburg blaze
Building ‘death trap’ warnings ignored
JOHANNESBURG: Authorities stand accused of ignoring a report declaring the Bank of Lisbon building a death trap long before a fire there claimed the lives of three firefighters yesterday.
Gauteng Infrastructure and Development MEC Jacob Mamabolo said just last week that an internal report found the building was only 21% compliant with safety regulations.
At least 13 employees from the fire department were rushed to hospital. Joburg Emergency Services spokesperson Nana Radebe said one of the firefighters died from smoke inhalation, one was partly burnt and the other one slipped and fell to his death.
She said the man who slipped was in the building to assess the extent of the fire and look for trapped workers. While evacuating them, he slipped off a 23rd-floor window.
Despite numerous warnings and complaints from employees and unions, no action was taken to move workers from the departments of Human Settlements, Health, and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), who were forced to work in life-threatening conditions. Before a building can be deemed safe it has to meet 85% of the occupational, safety and health standards.
“We will take measures and make sure that we move people out of those buildings, depending on the degree of non-compliance,” said Mamabolo.
In June, the Bank of Lisbon building was evacuated after a faulty light bulb caused a lot of smoke.
In November, the Department of Labour issued a prohibition notice to Human Settlements and Cogta concerning a complaint over sewerage and drinking water as well as dust caused by renovations.
It was revoked in December, but there were four floors in the building still not fit for occupation, according to acting head of Human Settlements Joseph Zulu.
“We evacuated all the officials who were on those floors and we got an alternative building for them,” he said.
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) said the building on Pixley Seme Street was a “ticking time bomb”.
“We see this as a case of complete negligence and disregard for people’s lives. We have been cautioning them, but nothing was done. The fire was expected. The government must take full responsibility for the deaths,” said Nehawu Gauteng deputy secretary Gracia Rikhotso.
Firefighters used trucks and a helicopter, and it took them till early evening to contain the fire. Radebe said the structure was dark. and rescue workers couldn’t use fire hydrants in the building as the pressure was low.
Public Servants Association spokesperson Tahir Sema said: “Many people on lower floors did not know about the fire until they were alerted by people fleeing the building.”
Gauteng Labour Department spokesperson Mishack Magakwe said inspectors were probing the cause of the fire.