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An aeromedical chopper lands to rescue firefighters in critical condition at the scene of a raging bush fire in the Boston area outside Howick in the KZN Midlands. Photo by Midlands EMS.
19 Jul 2024

Six - including three female firefighters - died in South Africa bush fire

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A vegetation fire in South Africa has claimed the lives of six firefighters, several international  media report. Among the dead are three female firefighters who died from burn injuries. 

The area affected by the fire is near Howick in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. 

Shortly after 3 PM on Sunday July 14, uMngeni Mayor Chris Pappas reported that three female firefighters had died and five others had been rushed to nearby hospitals. One of them was airlifted with severe burns. All five admitted firefighters were in critical condition.

Midlands EMS spokesperson Roland Robertson later confirmed that three more firefighters did not survive their injuries while being treated in the hospital.  This raised the death toll to six, according to The Times Live. 

Robertson stated that emergency crews were dispatched to the Boston Road area, where paramedics found multiple victims still on fire and several deceased. The crews worked to stabilize several individuals at the scene while the veld fire continued to rage, while firefighting aircraft attempted to extinguish the brush fire. 

Additional backup was called in, including an aeromedical helicopter from Netcare 911 equipped with extra gear to assist on the scene. Three firefighters were placed on ventilators at the scene, with one being airlifted to the hospital. Two other patients were also in critical condition, requiring urgent advanced life support.

Mayor Pappas mentioned that the fire appeared to be a runaway grass fire. Response efforts included Sappi, Working on Fire, local landowners, and uMgungundlovu Fire.

Photo Credit: An aeromedical helicopter lands to rescue firefighters in critical condition at the scene of a raging bush fire in the Boston area outside Howick in the KZN Midlands, South Africa.

Photo by Midlands EMS.