Blaze reignites outcry

THE DEMOCRATIC Alliance (DA) in Phokwane has urged the Frances Baard District Municipality (FBDM) to expedite the process of making the newly built fire station in Jan Kempdorp operational, following a fire incident that exposed the community's vulnerability.

- DANIE VAN DER LITH

The call follows a fire over the weekend in which a lucerne truck caught alight near a petrol station in Jan Kempdorp. Although the blaze was contained, concerns were raised about the potential risk to nearby infrastructure.

Firefighting assistance could not be summoned as the area has no operational fire station.

According to the DA, Phokwane has never had a functional fire station. In the past, it relied on the South African National Defence Force and local farmers who developed their own firefighting systems. More recently, responsibility for disaster response fell to FBDM, which agreed on the need for a fire station and oversaw the construction of a new facility.