FIREFIGHTERS had a bad start to their morning after a blaze broke out in the City of uMhlathuze offices.
The workers of the municipality in Richards Bay were evacuated from the building on Tuesday, 28 March, after a fire broke out in the banquet hall.
After a long battle between with the blaze, the firefighters eventually managed to stop the fire from spreading to other departments in the building.
The city manager, Nkosenye Zulu, said this was just an average fire and called for calm.
“We thank the staff for cooperating after the alarm went off. What happened when the current administration came to the roof was leaking.
"The company was appointed to fix the roof that was leaking. They were wielding something on the roof, and the fire broke out,” said Zulu.
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Zulu praised the fire department for their quick reaction and helping to kill the blaze.
The mayor of the uMhlathuze Local Municipality, Xolani Ngwezi, said an investigation by the city manager will determine the exact cause of the fire.
“The public will be alerted about the outcomes, but we suspect the fire started when the contracted company that fixes the roof was working.
"The cost of rebuilding the affected part of the building should not be from taxpayers' money, but it must be from the insurance of the company that is working there, if it is found that the fire started where they are working,” said Ngwezi.
