Fire at Waterkloof Air Force Base has been contained – SANDF spokesperson
Fire at Waterkloof Air Force Base has been contained – SANDF spokesperson
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) confirmed that a massive fire, which broke out at the Waterkloof Air Force Base in Pretoria on Sunday evening after a fuel pump burst, has been extinguished.
The SANDF’s spokesperson, Brigadier-General Mongezi Kweta, said the fire started on the bulk fuel storage facility following a suspected leakage from a burst pump late on Sunday afternoon.
While Kweta said the SANDF had launched an investigation into the cause of the fire, he added that it had no reason to suspect any foul play at this stage.
Kweta said: “I can confirm that it started at the bulk fuel tanks where we store fuel. There is no clarity how the fire started and there is no indication on whether it came from underground or on the surface. Investigations continue to establish further details.”
Kweta said Waterkloof and Swaartkop Base firefighters “quickly” responded, contained, and put out the blaze around 20:00.
Kweta said a statement with full details about the incident would be released at a later stage.
News24 was told that the SA Air Force Chief, Lieutenant-General Wiseman Mbambo, was on the scene to assess the damage.
“For now, I can confirm that military firefighters are busy at the scene. The fire has been contained. We are waiting for more details from officers on the scene,” said Kweta on Sunday night.
Kweta added that the SANDF had not established the magnitude of the damage caused by the fire.
