Incident Report

Subject:           South Africa - Fuel Tank Death, Victim's First Day at Work

Date of Email report:   Fri 04/10/2013

Report Detail:

Paramedics at the scene where one man died after he fell into a petrol tank in Boksburg.

A man who died in a freak accident at a petrol station arrived in South Africa just two weeks ago and Thursday was his first day on the job. The Malawi national was servicing a petrol tank with a friend on Gauteng’s East Rand when they fell in. The friend survived and was taken to Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg. He remains in a critical condition.

According to a family member of the deceased man, the Malawian came to South Africa looking for a better life. The victim’s brother, Leonard Molawila, says he doesn’t know how to break the news to the rest of the family back home. He said he was very happy when he heard his brother would be joining him in South Africa. Molawila also said he had nobody to turn to now. He said his brother left his house this morning looking for work when a man approached him and his friend, offering them jobs as petrol tank cleaners.

Questions are now being raised about whether the two men required training before being allowed to service the tank. According to an emergency worker, the men were “overcome by diesel fumes” and were not wearing protective gear. Police have opened an inquest docket.

Additional Documentation: