TimesLive reports that firefighters on Monday extinguishing a blaze at a factory in Durban in which four people suffered smoke inhalation after they helped to try to extinguish the blaze.

The fire broke out in a building in Clairwood, a semi-industrial area south of the city. ALS Paramedics received several calls about the burning factory at about 1.30am. On Saturday, firefighters battled a blaze at a tar-manufacturing company in Hillary, west of Durban. The fire was contained after about three hours, but it destroyed most of the building. A month ago, residents in Clairwood had to be evacuated after three diesel tankers at a local truck yard went up in flames. Recently 13 people were injured when the China Emporium in central Durban caught alight and burned for two days. According to Desmond D’Sa of the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance, fires were due there being no oversight. “We don’t have an inspectorate going out to investigate and check whether companies are compliant with bylaws and laws. We have seen an increase in fires in the Clairwood area. The Transnet pipeline is an example. We’ve seen a resins company catch alight and the fire at UPL that happened during the looting last year,” he noted. D’Sa pointed oput that poor communities were mostly affected by the lack of proper emergency plans.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Suthentira Govender at BusinessLive

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