Provincial task team to inspect buildings around Joburg in wake of CBD fire
Human Settlement MEC Uhuru Moiloa says government is taking the safety of people working in the city seriously.
JOHANNESBURG – The Gauteng government says a provincial task team will now inspect buildings in Johannesburg to make sure they are safe.
This comes after a fire in a government building in the Johannesburg CBD was finally extinguished on Thursday afternoon.
Three firefighters were killed after the fire broke out on the 23rd floor on Wednesday morning.
A student residence was evacuated after it filled with smoke on Thursday.
The ANC then evacuated its headquarters as a precaution.
#JoburgFire Students have been evacuated from the building across the road from the burning building in the Joburg CBD for of fear of smoke inhalation. PP pic.twitter.com/7rf0QOeF5h
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) September 6, 2018
Firefighters have been continuing with damping-down operations so that the fire does not reignite.
Human Settlement MEC Uhuru Moiloa says government is taking the safety of people working in the city seriously.
“The MEC of Infrastructure Development is going to be convening provincial unit in which its task will be to ensure that all departments comply with occupational health and safety.”
While the upper floors of the government building have been gutted water has been sprayed in the lower 14 floors, to prevent them from catching fire.
The student residence adjacent to the building was evacuated due to fears of smoke inhalation.
Students were then transported to a military camp in Pretoria.
(Edited by Leeto M Khoza)
