benrose fire

Photo: @crimeairnetwork / TW

Watch: Embroidery factory in Benrose, JHB, engulfed in flames [video]

The cause of the fire is still the subject of an ongoing investigation.

benrose fire

Photo: @crimeairnetwork / TW

On Wednesday, fire and rescue services were called out to an industrial park in Benrose, Johannesburg, where an embroidery factory was engulfed in flames.

Factory burns: What caused the fire?

The cause of the fire is still the subject of a probe, at this time. EMS spokesperson, Nana Radebe, told SABC News that while there were no casualties, workers were affected by the fire.

“At this moment we are still busy trying to put the fire out and there are several people that have been treated for smoke inhalation. We will confirm what has happened after we are done with our preliminary investigations,” Radebe said.

Benrose is a suburb situated south of Johannesburg’s ever-bustling central business district (CBD). The small suburb is located right next to Jeppestown and Belgravia.

Much like many gentrified neighbourhoods, Benrose is a mixture of residential units and industrial parks.

Is Benrose prone to fires?

Having a residential neighbourhood mixed in and around industrial parks has its pros and cons. The property tends to be a lot more affordable and many industrial parks are locations for wholesalers.

However, factory businesses use machinery that can pose a danger to a community, if used incorrectly. This is the second recorded incident of a fire breaking out at a factory, in Benrose, in seven years.

In 2013, as reported by My Broadband, a factory, on Main Reef Road, Benrose, caught fire and it took three fire engines and a team of firefighters to extinguish the flames.

Fortunately, the fire did not claim any lives, as workers managed to make it out of the building before the roof of the factory collapsed.

The cause of the fire was never determined and life went on in Benrose. Seven years later, similar scenes were witnessed by locals who shared the video on social media.

Region F law enforcement authorities and fire and rescue services have yet to issue a statement on what caused the fire and how much damage was sustained in the property.

This is a developing story.