Nine people were treated for smoke inhalation after a fire broke out at a factory in Industria on Tuesday, Johannesburg emergency services said.
The fire started at an Industria mattress factory on Tuesday morning and was eventually extinguished after five hours, said spokesperson Percy Morokane.
”Several chemical containers that were outside the factory also exploded. Four Nampak workers were taken to hospital for severe smoke inhalation, bringing the number of casualties to nine.”
Earlier, five people were treated for smoke inhalation.
Netcare 911 said paramedics attended to nine patients and eight of these had been transported by ambulance to hospitals in the area.
”The patients have been treated for mild to moderate smoke inhalation and some of the patients were nebulised and given intravenous fluids,” said spokesperson Nick Dollman.
The fire started at the Bita Foam mattress factory at about 8.30am.
Morokane said the factory was completely gutted. Nothing could be salvaged.
”Environmental health experts are on the scene checking air quality and structural engineers are checking to see if surrounding buildings are safe.”
The factory was engulfed by flames over 2m high.
”About 200 Bita Foam employees had to be evacuated. Hundreds of workers from surrounding factories were also evacuated.”
About 40 firefighters and ten fire engines attended the scene.
The cause of the fire was not known and an investigation would be conducted, said Morokane. — Sapa