Municipal contractors have begun removing damaged equipment from the fire-ravaged Witkoppie Substation in Atlas Road, but uncertainty over the procurement of replacement components has raised concerns that electricity outages could continue for days – or even weeks.

While the City of Ekurhuleni has not yet responded to our request for details, well-placed sources have already expressed concern that delays in procuring the replacement equipment could result in a prolonged power outage.

Residents of Atlasville and surrounding suburbs have suffered another major setback after this substation caught fire and reportedly exploded shortly after 09:00 on July 15, further delaying efforts to restore electricity to the suburb, which has now entered a fourth day without power following cable faults in the area.

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Crews are clearing fire-damaged equipment at Witkoppie Substation, but power outages may continue for weeks as replacement parts are sourced. #Atlasville #PowerOutage #BreakingNews #Boksburg #Ekurhuleni

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The latest incident left Atlasville, Impala Park, Beyers Park, parts of Bartlett and surrounding areas without electricity. Although power has since been restored to Impala Park, residents of Atlasville, Beyers Park and parts of Bartlett remain without supply.

This fire incident comes after the same power infrastructure was damaged in a fire linked to cable theft last year.

Following that incident, the metro implemented temporary measures to maintain electricity supply to affected areas while repairs to the damaged S14 Main Substation were under way. However, those temporary arrangements have now suffered another significant setback.

Firefighters from Fidelity Fire and Emergency Services responded swiftly and managed to extinguish the blaze within minutes, preventing it from spreading further. A team of firefighters from the metro also responded to the scene, where they found that the Fidelity team had already brought the fire under control.

The latest fire has intensified concerns about how much longer residents will have to wait before power is fully restored. Families have already reported spoiled food, disrupted daily routines and growing security concerns as the prolonged outage continues.

At the time of publication, the metro had not yet confirmed the cause of the fire, the full extent of the damage, or, most importantly, how and when electricity will be restored to the thousands of residents left in the dark.

In a post on its official Facebook page, the municipality said there is currently no estimated restoration time and that updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
This is a developing story and will be updated as soon as additional information becomes available.

Also read: https://WATCH: Atlasville residents take fight for power to energy depot