A transformer substation in Parkview has burnt and another in Forrest Town was partially damaged after the breakers caught fire on the morning of February 27.
City Power’s spokesperson, Isaac Mangena said the City Power team was informed that a transformer situated between the corner of Westmeath Road and Emmarentia Avenue (Parkview) was on fire.
“When the City Power team arrived on site, they found that the blaze was contained by the fire department. Despite efforts, the damage to the infrastructure seems to be extensive and will require a complete overhaul of the transformer to be replaced with a mini-substation and a Ring Main Unit (RMU).”
Mangena added that the incident caused power supply interruption for customers in Parkview and Emmarentia. The team, however, managed to partially restore supply.
“Repairs will get underway as soon as all required materials have been delivered on-site. From the team’s estimation, repairs could take up to 48 hours to complete.”
The spokesperson noted that it was unclear at this stage what the cause of the fire was, but an investigation was underway to make that determination.
While the team was attending to the incident in Parkview, it was notified of another case of fire in Forrest Town.
Mangena explained that the fire began on Sherwood Road, ” Upon closer inspection, the team discovered that only breakers were damaged by the flames and only a few streets are affected by the impact of this flame. Repairs are currently underway, with the estimated restoration set at 18:00, provided all goes as planned.”
City Power sincerely apologised for the inconvenience caused to customers.
Customers are advised to unplug their appliances during the period of the outage. This is to prevent an inrush which may cause a further trip when supply is restored.
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