Paramedics and emergency services had their hands full this morning after an ammonia leak caused havoc in Vereeniging.
Shortly after 10:35 paramedics and hazardous material units arrived on the scene to find people evacuating the building. An emergency triage area was quickly erected upwind from the site where all the people were assessed and sorted.
Paramedics explained that they have assessed over 200 people as they exited the building area. One patient was transported to a nearby hospital for further medical treatment after inhaling the toxic substance.
The hazardous materials unit entered the building to search for more people as some of them explained that people might still be inside. Members of the unit apparently found a man underneath a table inside the building. The man had no signs of life and was rushed to the evacuation area.
Paramedics declared the man dead as there was nothing that they could do more for him.
Some of the employees on the scene explained that the man that was killed is deaf and he was very confused when people started evacuating the building. Other employees explained that he might have disappeared within the crowd and was overcome with the toxic fumes.
Fire and emergency services stood by on the scene whilst the hazardous materials unit tried to contain the leak.
An investigation into this matter will be launched by the local authorities.
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