Why did they have to die!
Expert questions training of firefighters as three perish in blaze MEC admits building did not meet safety requirements
An expert in fire-fighting has given details of what could have happened on Wednesday when a fire broke out in a building which houses three provincial departments in the Johannesburg CBD.
Wynand Engelbrecht told Sowetan there were a lot of questions to be asked about the training of firefighters in the Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (JEMS) and also the quality of equipment available to them.
Three firefighters were killed when they tried to contain a fire that broke out in a building that houses Gauteng department of health; cooperative governance and traditional affairs; and human settlements.
As firefighters fought the flames of the fire that started on the 24th floor, the body of one of their colleagues lay on the pavement in front of the building covered with silver foil. The firefighter, who could not be named, slipped and fell from the 23rd floor.
Engelbrecht said what happened in that building was something he has never seen in his 40 years of fire-fighting.
“Normally, you enter a fire floor with a charge line of water in your hand. If you get in trouble you try and walk back on your hose so that you have the protection of that water spray. You do not send firefighters into a building without a charge line,” he said.
“They must have air tanks or breathing apparatus on their back and masks on their face. If you send in two people, the rule is for each two you send in, you must have two on the outside that can help when those inside call Mayday [a distress call for help when in serious difficulty].
“If they did not call Mayday, it is because they did not have radios. If they did not have radios, then that is a very serious problem. All these problems could only come out in a proper hearing when experienced firefighters ask the right questions,” said Engelbrecht.
He explained how firefighters could have suffered from smoke inhalation. “They ran 24 floors of stairs. The air tank only lasts 45 minutes. By the time you come to the top, you better have a couple of spare cylinders with you, otherwise you are without air.”
The building has been a nuisance for the workers for years. One of the workers said it had malfunctioning lifts and would sometimes have sewerage running on floors. “Unions have been fighting management about this building for all the years I have worked for the department [of human settlements],” said one worker.
JEMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi admitted that they have a shortage of fire engines. “... most of them [fire engines] are old [and] are spending most of the times at the workshops instead of being on the road.
“Servicing our residents in terms of the training of our firefighters continues. Training in our service is of paramount importance to keep with the latest world trends and requirements, so our firefighters are highly trained in fire and rescue services.”
Mulaudzi added that they were doing something about the shortage of fire engines.
Meanwhile, Cosatu in the province said: “This has long been coming and workers have been saying it for a long time. The matter has been raised with the department on various occasions, including during a march by the federation to both the previous and the current MECs for health.
“The state of the building has also been a source of concern for both our affiliates Denosa and Nehawu. In fact, this has resulted in the suspension of our shop stewards by the previous MEC for health for raising genuine and legitimate demands of the
This has long been coming ...
workers in the building.”
Premier David Makhura thanked the firefighters for displaying bravery and putting their lives at risk in an attempt to save the lives of others.
“We send out heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. We further send our well-wishes to the families and officials who were rushed to the hospital...”