A deadly wall of flames up to 10m high racing across the Northern Cape veld was just too much for a camp of soldiers on a training exercise on Friday.
Six soldiers from Kimberley's Lohatla military base died in the blaze, while three have been hospitalised with second-degree burns.
The names of those who died had not been released at the time of going to print. However, the SA national defence union (Sandu) said four men and one woman died at the scene, while another person succumbed in hospital.
By Saturday, the blaze, which broke out at about 10am on Friday, had mostly been brought under control.
It has emerged that the South African Weather Service issued a code-red fire warning for the area on Thursday afternoon.
Johan Rossouw, head of John Taolo Gaetsewe district municipality's disaster management centre, said code red meant you needed to react immediately.
“Red is the highest alert and is calculated by the weather service. They look at temperatures, humidity and wind speed,” he said.
Rossouw described the fire as “really severe”, with flames reaching heights of 5-10m.
“It was [a case of] extremely high flames and strong winds. The SANDF did put measures [in place] to evacuate, but I think the challenge [was that] they were just caught up in the fire because it spread so quickly. I believe there wasn't sufficient time to evacuate properly.”
He said that by yesterday evening the fire had been contained beyond the border of the base, but the military precinct was still burning.
The SANDF did put measures in place to evacuate, but I think the challenge was that they were just caught up in the fire because it spread so quickly
— Johan Rossouw, John Taolo Gaetsewe district municipality
The deaths came two weeks after three South African Navy mariners died during a training operation involving a submarine off Kommetjie in the Western Cape. It is believed they were washed off the submarine during heavy seas.
Thousands of soldiers were at the SANDF combat training centre preparing for an annual army exercise, Vuk'uhlome, set to take place at the end of the year.
Pikkie Greeff of the South African National Defence Union (Sandu) said the three-month training exercise started two weeks ago and would run until the first week of December.
Part of the exercise involved simulating military operations in the bush, which left soldiers exposed to the elements.
SANDF spokesperson Maj-Gen René Mercuur said its fire and rescue team had been on standby, as the area had seen fires in recent weeks.
What made Friday's fire unpredictable, she said, was a sudden change in wind direction.
“The wind speed, [at] that time, was still under control, [but] the wind changed and the fire changed direction,” she said.
The SANDF said the winds had been about 70km/h.
The head of the Northern Cape's provincial disaster management centre, Tebogo Gaolaolwe, told the Sunday Times the fire crossed into the military base at about 1.45pm.
“The John Taolo Gaetsewe district municipality activated [units from] the fire protection association, the mining sector and Gamagara municipality to fight the fires,” he said.
Rossouw said the fire started near the Khumani and Beeshoek mines.
“From there, it crossed the N14 and spread through mining grounds and farms, and then into Lohatla military base,” he said.
Rossouw praised the support received from surrounding mining companies — including Assmang, Kumba Sishen Iron Ore and Afrimat — which had provided water trucks, ground-moving equipment, firefighters and vehicles.
He said they had deployed extra fire protection associations to assist and provide “additional resources on the ground”.
Greeff said the training exercise had been a huge logistical operation.
“To get [thousands] of soldiers there and to keep them operational — [imagine the] amount of equipment, [number of] vehicles [and so on] you'd need to deploy.
“Apart from the cost of the lives lost, there were trucks and tents that [were] burnt. Those are all equipment losses that run into hundreds and thousands of rands, if not millions.
“But from what I can see, a water bunker burnt down, ironically enough. And you know a water bunker is not only to provide drinking water — it's also there in case there is a fire. So there would be all kinds of personnel carriers, armoured personnel vehicles, water bunkers, and logistical support vehicles there.”
Sandu confirmed that a board of inquiry would be convened to “determine, among other things, the circumstances leading to the loss of personnel and equipment”.
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