SABC building evacuated Johannesburg

SABC building, Johannesburg – Photo: Noel Bowers / Flickr

SABC fire: Second evacuation since May sees 15 people hospitalised

Patients have been taken to various hospitals across Johannesburg, after the Auckland Park facility of the SABC group suffered yet another major incident.

SABC building evacuated Johannesburg

SABC building, Johannesburg – Photo: Noel Bowers / Flickr

Fifteen people have been hospitalised for mild smoke inhalation, whilst some had sustained burn wounds following a fire at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) offices in Auckland Park, Johannesburg on Tuesday.

“Fifteen people have been hospitalised following a fire at a business at Auckland Park, Johannesburg,” ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said.

SABC building fire

ER24 personnel, along with other private services, arrived on the scene and were met by the City of Johannesburg Fire Services who were already in attendance. Meiring said paramedics set up a triage area and began to tend to the patients. The patients were transported to various hospitals for treatment.

Numerous people lined the sidewalks after the building had been evacuated. Meiring said details surrounding the incident are not yet known.  Authorities were on the scene to conduct further investigations.  

Auckland Park hosts another evacuation

According to reports, the fire broke out at one of the corporation’s canteens and has been extinguished. It was the second evacuation at the SABC headquarters in two months, following another alarming incident on Wednesday 15 May

The Radio Park building was a no-go area for 24 hours last month after 2 000 litres of diesel leaked from a generator on the 15th floor. Some employees suffered chemical inhalation and were treated in hospital.

As we covered at the time, several eyewitnesses and SABC staff have reported that they were evacuated from their building in Auckland Park after the leak sparked fears on an explosion. However, the channel’s biggest concern was eventually with “a release of fumes” into their offices, prompting the evacuation.  

– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Lindiz van Zilla