Emergency Services and City Power remain on alert after underground fire in Braamfontein
City Power is exploring alternatives to supply power to the affected customers by back-feeding through Fort and Bree substations.
The Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS), Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), and City Power convened after an underground fire caused power supply interruption to customers in Braamfontein, the CBD, Parktown, and surrounds was successfully contained.
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said, “The City Power team will assess the damage caused to the electricity infrastructure after the smoke clears and temperatures in the tunnels have cooled off. Work towards restoration is expected to start at midday if all is in order, where rubble will be cleared and assessments to determine the extent of the damage be done.”
He noted that findings would determine the course of operations and restoration of the power supply will be determined by work that has to be performed on-site.
Meanwhile, the local power utility continued to explore alternatives to supply power to the affected customers by back-feeding through the Fort and Bree substations.
The progress on work conducted on-site will be communicated throughout the day.
Mangena highlighted that operations on site followed the fire that occurred in the underground tunnels along the M1 near Smit Street and the double-decker section.
“It is suspected that the fire may have resulted from theft and vandalism of the electricity infrastructure, an incident on Tuesday night. The fire was put out but started again in the early hours of Wednesday morning.”
Preliminary findings indicated that a cable connecting the Braamfontein substation to the Fordsburg substation caught fire during the suspected cable theft and vandalism.
The City Power team recovered tools such as a hacksaw, cutter, and screwdrivers which are normally used during acts of vandalism and theft. A cellphone was also recovered from the site of the fire.
The entity apologised for the inconvenience this has caused, including to the motorists who use the M1 highway between Braamfontein and the Crown Interchange.
Related articles: City Power to fast track the Token Identifier (TID) program
City Power attends to burnt and damaged transformers in Parkview and Forrest Town
