Explosive safety expert Jimmy Roodt has weighed in on the blast inside a Woolworths store in Menlyn Park Shopping Centre this week.
Blast damage at Woolworths Menlyn. Picture: SAPS/X
A bomb blast inside a Woolworths store at Menlyn Park Shopping Centre has renewed concerns about explosive threats in public spaces, with explosives expert Jimmy Roodt warning that even a relatively small device can disrupt operations and place workers at risk.
Roodt, who reviewed photographs of the aftermath circulating in the public domain, said the visible damage did not appear consistent with what would normally be expected from a substantial high explosive detonation.
“There is limited structural damage. Shelves remain standing, with no evidence of major structural collapse or blown-out fixtures. Products appear to have been knocked off shelves, with many items remaining largely intact. There is also no visible charring, burning or melting of packaging that would typically be present in a high-order detonation or incendiary device,” he said.
Photographic evidence
South African Police Service investigators are probing an incident in which an unknown device detonated on a shelf inside the Woolworths store at the Pretoria shopping centre at around 1am on Thursday. Five workers were reportedly in the store at the time, but no injuries were sustained. Damage was limited to shelving and food products.
While cautioning that photographs alone cannot provide definitive answers, Roodt said the available imagery suggested a blast pattern more consistent with a low-order explosion than a sophisticated high-yield device.
“Based on the information presently available in the public domain, the incident appears more consistent with a low-order explosive event or a relatively small explosive charge rather than a large high-order detonation. The limited damage profile, coupled with the absence of injuries among nearby staff members, suggests that the device’s destructive capability was restricted in scope.”
Bomb disposal specialists, detectives, crime scene experts, and the K9 unit were deployed to the scene.
Device type speculation premature
Roodt said it would be premature to speculate about the exact type of device used, adding that only a forensic investigation would provide definitive answers.
“At this stage, there is insufficient publicly available information to determine whether the incident involved a deliberately constructed improvised explosive device, a commercially manufactured pyrotechnic or explosive component, a modified consumer product, a partially functioning device or another form of explosive mechanism.”
He said the significance of the incident extended beyond the device’s explosive yield.
“Regardless of the device type ultimately identified, the incident highlights an important reality. Even a relatively small explosive device can create panic, disrupt business operations, endanger workers, and require a substantial law-enforcement response.”
Roodt said the blast should serve as a reminder that shopping centres, retailers and other workplaces need appropriate bomb-threat procedures and emergency response plans.
Woolworths confirmed the incident and said it was working with authorities to establish all the facts. The retailer said the safety of its employees and customers remained its highest priority.
