Lights out in Joburg CBD after building fire 

Major areas, Braamfontein, Parktown and Newtown are experiencing power outages after a building fire erupted from a transformer failure. 

A fire broke out early Friday morning at the corner of Bree and Harrison Streets near the License Hall Lofts building, cutting power to the Johannesburg CBD.

Newtown, parts of Parktown, Braamfontein, Bree West, Bank City, Ferreirasdorp, parts of the Johannesburg CBD, and Marshalltown is affected.

Residents reported hearing a loud bang around two in the morning, seeing a large blaze out through a window.  

Emergency Management Services (EMS) spokesperson Xolile Khumalo said firefighters responded shortly after 4:30, evacuated the building, and successfully extinguished the fire at around 7 this morning.

No one sustained injuries in the blaze.

EMS is currently still on scene doing damping-down operations to prevent any re-ignition.

“Smoke is still visible,” said Khumalo.

He said initial observations indicate the fire originated on the ground floor of the sixteen-storey building and did not spread to other floors.

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena confirmed that a feeder tripped at Bree substation at two in the morning. 

“From a preliminary external assessment, it appears that only one transformer has been affected by the
fire,” he said.

Investigations ongoing

City Power has paused its investigation until EMS clears the area for entry.

“The Bree Substation will remain switched off until the investigation [has] been completed,” said Mangena. 

“Restoration of supply will only commence once it is confirmed that it is safe to do so.”