Acid explosion rocks factory in East London

Blast injures 12 workers, causes panic after welding sparks off fire

AMASSIVE acid-fuelled blast in the East London industrial development zone injured 12 workers in an auto-part factory, causing panic in surrounding communities and damaging three nearby factories.

The explosion ripped through brick and metal walls at the Feltex Automotive Trim factory, supplier of car interiors to Mercedes-Benz, on Tuesday night.

According to a worker at the plant, a fire broke out when maintenance workers were welding a broken machine and the flame made contact with acid tanks.

Describing the tanks as slightly bigger than a 20 000-litre plastic tank, the source said the fire was followed by a “volcanic” explosion.

Forty workers were inside the plant at the time.

“The fire got out of hand and mixed with the acid,” the worker said.

The blast took off the roof, brick walls and metal sides of the factory and some parts of the adjacent factories.

The 10pm production shift was coming to an end, and with 30 minutes until knock-off time the workers were filling in target sheets and tidying up.

As the blaze took hold inside the plant, the employees fled, but 12 were caught by a deluge of acidic fluid from large pipes running under the ceiling, which burst and flooded the area.

“People were screaming. They will have scars for life. It is terrible,” the worker said.

East London IDZ spokesman Sakhiwo Tetyana confirmed the incident happened at 9.30pm.

“Damage to the factory and offices was extensive, and the adjoining factory was also affected,” Tetyana said.

Feltex plant manager James du Toit, speaking from the site, said: “It is still way too early to be making statements to the public about the incident.”

Hundreds of workers from the plant and adjoining factories were told to stay home yesterday.

The area was cordoned off by emergency workers and police.

Residents in the surrounding areas said they thought they had been hit by an earthquake.

In Sunny Ridge Extension and Sunset Bay, people had hit their panic buttons after the blast occurred, Red Alert guard division regional manager Brett Harvey said.

Harvey said the explosion had set off tremors across East London and the company had also been inundated with panicked calls from other areas

Tetyana said the cause of the blast was being investigated.

Boniswa Magoda, of Sunny Ridge Extension, said she had been walking to her Landa Avenue home when she saw an orange glow coming from the factory, followed by a thunderous blast.

“Houses shook and people rushed outside to check what was happening. Dogs were barking, children were crying.”

Simphiwe Ndlebe, of Leaches Bay Township, said: “The blast shook our houses. Women were screaming. I thought it was a bomb.”

Life Healthcare group regional manager Bruce Janssens said 12 people had been treated and discharged the same night.

East London police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala said an inquiry docket had been opened, but no foul play was suspected.

Labour spokeswoman Ziphozihle Josefu said occupational health and safety inspectors had been sent to the factory to investigate the incident.

Mercedes-Benz South Africa spokesman Asanda Fongqo said: “The ELIDZ houses a number of our suppliers and we are in contact with all the relevant stakeholders to understand the impact [of the blast].”

People were screaming. They will have scars for life. It is terrible