The community of Athlone started 2024 off on a low note when another business, a popular packaging company, burnt down on New Year’s Day.
The City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue spokesperson Jermaine Carelse says they received a call for help at approximately 6am on 1 January of the Golden Food Packers company alight in Reen Avenue.
Carelse says: “Crews from Ottery, Wynberg and Lakeside were in attendance and managed to extinguish the blaze by 8.20am.”
Carelse says the boundary wall adjacent to Turfhall Road collapsed and a lane had to be closed to clear the debris.
He adds that this is the second fire at the same location.
Carelse confirms: “The damage was mostly to the machinery as this was a packaging company. The worst affected is the structure itself.
“No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is unknown.”Chairperson of the Newfield Village Community Representative Forum, Gary Hartzenberg, says the blaze is another loss to the area.
He explains: “We first had Golden Dish go up in flames and now the packaging company that has been standing there for more than 30 years.
“It’s really sad to see a place where many of our people are employed go up in flames. What's even more sad is that these types of places are important to our communities because they serve us.
“It’s important to find out what the cause is because now 20 staff will now be without a job and most of the workers are from the area. Times are tough as it is.
Chairperson of The Village Feeding Scheme, Shafiek Martin, reckons the fire is also a major setback for NGOs who purchase their styrofoam bakkies from the factory.
He says: “It’s a setback for us.
“We go on a weekly basis to get bakkies to assist the needy and to think we are already in January month where it’s a struggle. Now we have to look for donors or dig deep into our pockets because our supply factory caught alight.
Martin however adds that they will remain positive: saying: “We believe by the Grace of God, things will still fall into place.”
The factory was closed yesterday and the owners could not be reached for comment.