By Jonk wa Mashamba
news@alexreporter.co.za
A fire broke out at the University of South Africa (Unisa) Muckleneuk Campus on the second floor of the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Building at approximately 00:59 on 21 December 2022.
Firefighting personnel from the City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department who were dispatched to the incident noticed dense smoke billowing from the building even before they arrived at the incident.
City of Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson,Thabo Charles, firefighters had to force entry of three wooden doors and two steel roller doors to gain access into the building to fight the fire.
He said security officers at the campus later assisted by opening other doors with their access cards.
“Firefighters managed to locate the seat of the fire inside the building after battling to open multiple doors and going through stacks of files, books and furniture.
“firefighters found stacks of books and files that were smouldering in various places on the second floor and extinguished them.
“Most of the second floor suffered extensive smoke and water damage, and part of the third floor also suffered some smoke damage,” he said.
Mabasa said an aerial ladder apparatus was used to open windows, and mechanical ventilation was conducted to rid the building of excessive smoke.
According to sources at the scene, a fire had broken out in the same building about two weeks ago and was extinguished by the staff, and the emergency services were never notified.
The cost of the damage has not been quantified, and the cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
