A restaurant fire in Boksburg on Tuesday morning has been contained after firefighters safely isolated 12 LPG cylinders, preventing the blaze from escalating and potentially spreading to nearby properties.
The City of Ekurhuleni’s Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) responded to the fire at RoadHouse in Boksburg at about 8.53am, with crews from the Boksburg Central and Germiston fire stations.
DEMS spokesperson Eric Maloka said firefighters found the restaurant well alight on arrival and immediately requested additional resources.
“Firefighters launched an aggressive attack on the blaze, while other crews worked defensively to prevent the fire from spreading to neighbouring structures,” Maloka said.
The premises contained 12 48kg liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders. Firefighters successfully isolated the cylinders and moved them to a safe area, significantly reducing the risk of further danger during the operation.
According to the restaurant’s duty manager, the fire reportedly started in a fryer containing approximately 25 litres of cooking oil.
Maloka said the duty manager initially attempted to extinguish the fire using a fire extinguisher inside the restaurant, but the equipment was reportedly not functioning.
The situation was then made worse when water was poured into the frying pan.
“The duty manager then poured water into the frying pan, which aggravated the fire,” Maloka said.
All customers and employees were safely evacuated from the premises. No injuries were reported during or after the firefighting operation.
Heavy, dense smoke affected visibility along the road while firefighters battled the blaze. Authorities consequently advised motorists and other road users to exercise caution and, where possible, use alternative routes.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Fire officials have again urged members of the public to exercise extreme caution when dealing with cooking-oil fires, as pouring water onto burning oil can cause the flames to spread rapidly.
