Counselling has been provided for employees at the County Fair poultry facility in Paarl after two of their colleagues died and several were injured at the disposal plant.
It is understood that the colleagues, who are all men, were working at the chicken farm when they began experiencing breathing difficulties.
Astral, which owns the facility, confirmed the incident which occurred at midday on Sunday in Klipheuwel, Agter Paarl.
Frans van Heerden, managing director at Poultry Commercial, said the men were working at the plant which is separate from the main facility.
“It does not have any septic pits. The affected employees developed breathing difficulties of which the cause is under investigation,” Van Heerden explained.
He said the two employees unfortunately died after taking ill and six others were sent to the hospital for observation.
Five of the employees who were kept overnight on Sunday have since been discharged.
Van Heerden said Astral has committed itself to determining the cause of the incident.
The company also said a thorough cleaning of the area has been undertaken and any preventative action determined from the investigation will be immediately implemented.
He added: “We are disturbed and saddened by the loss of life.”
Van Heerden sent out heartfelt condolences to the families of the employees.
ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said crew and other EMS services responded after 1.30pm. They were led to a septic pit where the patients were reported.
“Upon closer inspection, medics found one man beside the pit being treated by on-site rescue while two other men were being extricated from the pit.”
Meiring said medics assessed the men and found that one man was suffering from minor breathing difficulties while the two other men showed no signs of life.
“The patient with breathing difficulties was treated and transported to a nearby hospital for further care,” he explained.
Meiring said local authorities were on the scene for further investigations.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said an inquest case was opened at Kraaifontein SAPS.
Anyone with any further information can anonymously call detective constable Nonabe on 021 980 5500 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.”
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za