Press Release

South Durban Community Environmental Alliance 19th September 2007

Durban South Africa

RESIDENTS ON THE BLUFF EVACUATED AS SEVERAL TANKS CONTAINING HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS EXPLODE

19h00 pm: Residents living on the fence line of the biggest chemical storage facilities, Cutler Complex on Durban’s Bluff suburb were traumatized and concerned about their homes and health after a huge inferno erupted last night at the complex. Several tanks storing toxic chemicals explode simultaneously and this had a detrimental affect on the local residents and was seen as far as Umhlanga Rocks as some residents arrived by vehicle .On arriving at the scene Stephen Van Wyk of the SDCEA stated ‘This is the biggest explosion that I have ever seen happen at this complex over the years’.

Linda Dickie a long time resident that lives on Pitman road opposite the storage and bunkering facilities stated that ‘my husband Tommy who is suffering from muscle disorder was in severe agony after the blast and breathing in the toxic fumes, we had to evacuate to a friends house away from the area.’

As the SDCEA, we are concerned that there is no evacuation/ emergency plan known to the local community. Talk from the local residents is that one person has been killed and many more casualties were affected from smoke inhalation.

Although the SDCEA has over a period of 11 years called for information such as risk assessments to be public knowledge, this continues to be denied under the disguise of confidential trade secrets and the use of the apartheid national key point legislation. We demand that the companies’ CEOs, National Ports Authority and the City Municipal Manager be held accountable and liable.

For Further Comment call Desmond D’Sa 031 –4689069 cell 0839826939

For pictures click here.