'The epicentre of the explosion is now on': Power returns to Joburg CBD after blast
Power was restored to households and businesses feeding off the Bree substation in Johannesburg's central business district on Tuesday morning, following a gas explosion last week.
"The whole street of the epicentre of the explosion is now on," City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said.
City of Johannesburg spokesperson Nthatisi Molingoane said 100% of the power was restored within the CBD.
"The switch on the last distributor has just been flipped now at 14:20."
In a statement on Tuesday, City Power said gas levels were at 1% on the risk matrix, making it possible for the entity to restore the feeder cables under the collapsed road structure.
Sections of Lillian Ngoyi Street in the busy city centre were ripped up during the gas blast during the afternoon rush hour last Wednesday.
One person was killed and 48 were injured.
Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda said on Monday that around 2 800 households were left in the dark as a result.
City Power customers who have not received electricity by Tuesday evening can log a call so technicians can attend to it.
Johannesburg City manager Floyd Brink said all entities were on the scene to fix the damage caused by the explosion.
Brink conducted an inspection on Tuesday morning.
"Water and the sewers and electricity should be back on [on Tuesday]. We will report if there are any changes, but all seems to be in order."
He said the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) had cleared the way for a Tractor Loader Backhoe (TLB) to excavate a part of the road so Johannesburg Water could reach damaged water and sewage pipes.
"[Joburg Water] is looking at the sewage lines with cameras to see the damage to the infrastructure."
He said Pikitup, the City's waste management service provider, was also on the scene to help clear illegal dumping.
Security in the area has also been strengthened.
The JRA installed a 900-metre diamond mesh wire fence and green covers around the blast site after passers-by damaged the razor wire used to keep pedestrians off the road.
The fence was installed from Von Willigh Street and extends towards the Lilian Ngoyi Street intersection with Loveday Street.
When News24 visited the area over the weekend, people had entered the road to take photographs.
Article Enquiry
Email Article
Save Article
Feedback
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation















