AfriForum Brandweer helps to put out fire at hospital

The newly established AfriForum Brandweer, the civil rights organisation’s private fire brigade in collaboration with Fire Ops SA, responded quickly on Sunday 7 July when a fire broke out at the National District Hospital in Bloemfontein.  The fire started outside the pediatric unit at around 15:20 when trees caught fire and began to spread to the second floor. A total of 83 people were evacuated from the hospital and there were no serious injuries or deaths.

AfriForum Brandweer together with the AfriForum neighbourhood watches responded to the emergency message that was distributed on WhatsApp. AfriForum Brandweer, in collaboration with Fire Ops SA, sent five personnel and two vehicles to the scene – including the ultra-high-pressure unit and a support vehicle. At the scene, AfriForum Brandweer personnel immediately spoke with the Mangaung Fire Department officer and coordinated where AfriForum Brandweer and the neighbourhood watches could help. AfriForum Brandweer and the AfriForum neighbourhood watches helped to evacuate patients, staff, and visitors from the hospital.

AfriForum Brandweer personnel also rescued two people from the building when the thick smoke meant that the people could not find their way out of the building. Outside the building, AfriForum neighbourhood watch members helped direct people to various assembly points.

“Our personnel are trained to deal with these types of cases, and it is important to work with other role players to ensure the community’s safety. We saw again on Sunday that it is necessary to establish good cooperation, especially between AfriForum Brandweer and the Mangaung Fire Department,” says Tarien Cooks, Disaster Management Specialist at AfriForum.

Since AfriForum Brandweer was founded in June this year, there have already been several successes. AfriForum Brandweer, in collaboration with Fire Ops SA, also recently helped a young woman who fell off a river embankment and suffered an open arm fracture. Mangaung Fire Department also assisted here.

Furthermore, AfriForum Brandweer also helped where a large, thatched roof burned down and also put out two wildfires.

AfriForum Fire Service provides a private fire service in the Bloemfontein area for AfriForum members. For more information visit the AfriForum Brandweer website.