Emergency response organisations rushed to Rossburg following a massive blaze that broke out in a container terminal at the Durban Harbour. Hundreds of people were evacuated from the scene.
Over 70 firefighters were deployed and despite their best efforts the size and scale of the disaster was enormous. Firefighters were exhausted by the heat and aggressiveness of the inferno and spent hour after hour hosing down the scene to avoid further destruction or possible harm.
Shortly after the story broke out and the local eyewitnesses who could see the billowing black smoke as far as Kloof started tweeting about the catastrophe, a CHDR volunteer made contact with the team in Hillcrest seeking assistance in terms of providing food and replenishment for the weary response teams.
Within less than 2 hours, Don Baney made his way to the scene where he was met with smoky ash and a “heat” he couldn’t begin to describe.
He delivered 100 drinks & snacks to assist the fire fighters and was told by the Fire Chief on the ground that they expected to continue fighting the blaze for three weeks.
Although noticeably weary and fatigued, the teams were grateful to CHDR for having made a trip to provide a little sustenance to keep them going.
