George farm chemical incident leaves 3 dead, 12 injured

Three people have died, and 12 others have been injured following a chemical incident on a farm north of Herold’s Bay, near George, in the Western Cape.

Emergency crews remained at the property on Tuesday evening, working to contain the hazardous substance and ensure the area could be made safe following the fatal incident, as per Algoa FM .

The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Fire and Rescue Services joined George Municipality firefighters in responding to the emergency on Tuesday afternoon.

According to information provided by first responders, farm workers were reportedly cleaning a large storage tank containing a mixture of chemicals, including phosphoric acid, when the incident occurred.

The situation also affected workers who tried to help their colleagues. Several of those who intervened were injured after inhaling chemical fumes.

Medical teams treated some of the affected workers at the scene, while others were taken to nearby hospitals for further medical care.

Firefighters work to secure the hazardous area

The response continued after the injured workers had received medical attention, with firefighters carrying out decontamination and containment operations.

George Municipality firefighters decontaminated the deceased before Forensic Pathology Services recovered their bodies.

Crews also applied chemical absorbents to the affected area to help contain the hazardous liquid. The material needs adequate time to dry and absorb the substance before further operations can safely continue.

By 19:30 on Tuesday, authorities had secured and cordoned off the scene, while clearing work was still under way.

Final decontamination planned

GRDM firefighters were expected to return to the property on Wednesday for a final round of decontamination and disinfection.

Until the remaining work can be completed safely, the affected area remains secured as emergency services continue efforts to manage the chemical hazard.

The incident has left three people dead and 12 injured, with emergency teams focused on containing the substance and reducing further risks at the site.

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