Factories in an industrial area of Johannesburg have caught fire, billowing huge black clouds into the air.
The Germiston factories, which house large quantities of flammable chemicals, caught fire shortly after midday on Thursday.
Staff at businesses near Strachan Road have been evacuated as a precaution.
Ekurhuleni Emergency Management Service spokesperson William Tladi told The Citizen that the fire may take some time to extinguish due to the nature of the chemicals involved.
He said multiple firefighting crews were on site to address the extensive structural fire.
“We are fighting the fire on multiple fronts, focusing on containment to protect adjacent structures.
“Multiple storage containers inside the factory and some light motor vehicles have been damaged. No fatalities have been reported from the scene,” said Tladi.
*This is a developing story.
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