WATCH | Foam factory destroyed in early-morning blaze

A foam manufacturing factory in Pietermaritzburg was destroyed in a fire in the early hours of Sunday morning, leaving damage estimated at more than R12 million and placing dozens of jobs at risk. Speaking toThe Witness, IQ Foam owner Azghar Akbar said the blaze gutted the company’s factory in Pentridge Road at about 4am. According to Akbar, they were alerted to the incident by their security company at around 5:30am.

“Initially, they said it was smoke coming from the factory, but later confirmed the place was on fire. When we got on site, the firefighters had already put the fire out,” he said. Akbar said the machinery destroyed in the blaze is valued at about R10 million.

In addition, the company had received materials and chemicals worth R1.5 million just last week. The cost of structural damage to the building has not yet been determined. We suspect arson, but the investigation into the fire will shed light on how it started.

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“The cost of damage to the structure is yet to be determined, so the total cost of this fire will be more than what I have personally lost,” he said. Akbar confirmed that about 35 employees could be left without jobs as management considers its next steps.

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