SAFETY APPEAL: PUBLIC ARE URGED NOT TO APPROACH ANY 200kg BLUE SEALED CONTAINER

SAFETY APPEAL: PUBLIC ARE URGED NOT TO APPROACH ANY 200kg BLUE SEALED CONTAINER - FOUND WASHED ASHORE OR ADRIFT AT SEA - ALONG THE GARDEN ROUTE or SOUTH CAPE COASTLINE.

Update, Sunday 31 March 08:25am CAT

GARDEN DISTRICT DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT and FIRE SERVICES – (NSRI Cooperation):

Jongensfonteinstrand, Garden Route and South Cape Coastline – Sunday, 31 March. UPDATE ON THE BLUE CHEMICAL CONTAINERS:

UPDATE ON THE BLUE CONTAINERS SUNDAY, 31 March, 07h00 – RISKS TO PUBLIC ARE NO LONGER VALID – ALL CONTAINERS RECOVERED, SEALED, and POSE NO RISK:

STATEMENT FROM GARDEN DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY FIRE SERVICES in COOPERATION with GARDEN DISTRICT DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT and NSRI Southern Cape:

Hazardous Chemical Container/s.

A further two (2) containers were detected on the Mossel Bay coast line.

One washed ashore in Hartenbos and was recovered, by GRDM Fire & Rescue Services, early on the morning of Saturday, 30 March.

This container was however empty and posed no risk.

A third container, detected in the Mossel Bay Harbour, and approaching the De Bakke shore, about 700 meters off-shore, was recovered by NSRI Mossel Bay, in cooperation with GRDM Fire and Rescue Services, sealed and transferred by GRDM Fire & Rescue Services.

MARCLEAN, who deal with Hazardous Marerials, in this case in particular Maritime Waste, are involved.

A blue container recovered from Arniston Beach was found to be unrelated and no risk.

There appears to be no further risk / but as is normal the emergency services remain on 24 hour alert.

"We commend the immense positive response from the concerned public and those public members who alerted authorities to sightings of containers and all of the emergency services and contract services who assisted in this case are commended," said Deon Stoffels, Chief Fire Officer, Garden District Municipality Fire and Rescue Services.

ORIGINAL STORY

IF ANY SUCH CONTAINER, A BLUE SEALED 200kg CHEMICAL CONTAINER, IS SPOTTED, PLEASE CALL DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT GARDEN ROUTE 0448055071 or WC GOVERNMENT HEALTH EMS 10177 - IMMEDIATELY - TO REPORT THE POSITION AND LOCATION.

Garden Route Fire and Rescue Services are dealing with a 200 kilogram blue dangerous chemical sealed container found washed ashore at Jongensfonteinstrand, South Cape Coastline, near to Stilbaai - Western Cape.

DRM (Disaster Risk Management) Garden Route (GRDRM) has confirmed that the sealed container containing hazardous dangerous chemicals is not a present risk and will be recovered on Saturday by a Hazmat (Hazardous Materials) Fire and Rescue Services team.

However, there are concerns that, there may be a further 3 containers adrift at sea, in the area, or may be washed ashore - along that stretch of coastline.

(According to records a 200 kilogram blue container of this nature is normally carried in a pallet of 4 containers).

While it cannot be confirmed that 3 containers are missing or remain adrift at sea and/or washed ashore - GRDRM authorities are appealing to boaters and public members NOT TO APPROACH THE CONTAINER if spotted but to IMMEDIATELY CALL GRDRM Tel: 0448055071 or National Ambulance Emergency 10177.

There appears to be no reports of any dangerous chemical containers missing off any ship at sea - this is being investigated.

It remains unclear where the container originated - this is being investigated.

WC Government Health EMS Metro Control, DRM (Disaster Risk Management), MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), Telkom Maritime Radio Services, SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority), Western Cape Fire and Rescue Services, SA Police Services, NSRI and TNPA (Transnet National Ports Authority) are alerted.

SAFETY APPEAL: PUBLIC ARE URGED NOT TO APPROACH ANY 200kg BLUE SEALED CONTAINER - FOUND WASHED ASHORE OR ADRIFT AT SEA - ALONG THE GARDEN ROUTE or SOUTH CAPE COASTLINE.

IF ANY SUCH CONTAINER, A BLUE SEALED 200kg CHEMICAL CONTAINER, IS SPOTTED, PLEASE CALL DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT GARDEN ROUTE 0448055071 or WC GOVERNMENT HEALTH EMS 10177 - IMMEDIATELY - TO REPORT THE POSITION AND LOCATION.