“Work towards restoration will start after the smoke has cleared in the tunnels and the temperatures, which earlier were hovering around 200°C, have cooled off in the tunnel,” Mangena said.
“We expect to start the work midmorning on Thursday, which will include clearing the rubble and assess the extent of the damaged electrical infrastructure, the outcome of which will determine the repairs and restoration plans and estimated time of repair.
“Meanwhile, our technicians are also working on alternatives to see if some of the areas cannot be back-fed through our Fort and Bree substations nearby.”
The teams will also be working to ascertain the exact cause of the fire, he said.
“Preliminary findings indicate that a cable connecting Braamfontein substation to the Fordsburg substation caught fire during suspected cable theft and vandalism.”
The City Power team on Wednesday afternoon recovered tools such as a hacksaw, cutter and screwdrivers, normally used during vandalism and theft, Mangena said. A cellphone was also recovered from the site of the fire.
TimesLIVE
Underground cable fire temp was up to 200 degrees: City Power
Extensive work will be needed to restore electricity in the inner city after the cables caught fire underground, Johannesburg City Power says.
Cable theft is suspected as the cause of the blaze under the M1 double-decker highway, after teams found tools on the site while containing the fire on Wednesday.
The fire, which began on Tuesday evening, cut off power supply to Braamfontein, part of the Joburg CBD, Parktown and Newtown. It also led to road closures in the area.
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said on Wednesday night the Johannesburg emergency management services (EMS) team had made significant progress in fighting the fire in the tunnels and clearing the smoke aboveground.
EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said on Thursday morning firefighters will inspect the tunnels to check for any flare-ups and ensure the site is safe before handing over to City Power to start with its own assessments.
“Work towards restoration will start after the smoke has cleared in the tunnels and the temperatures, which earlier were hovering around 200°C, have cooled off in the tunnel,” Mangena said.
“We expect to start the work midmorning on Thursday, which will include clearing the rubble and assess the extent of the damaged electrical infrastructure, the outcome of which will determine the repairs and restoration plans and estimated time of repair.
“Meanwhile, our technicians are also working on alternatives to see if some of the areas cannot be back-fed through our Fort and Bree substations nearby.”
The teams will also be working to ascertain the exact cause of the fire, he said.
“Preliminary findings indicate that a cable connecting Braamfontein substation to the Fordsburg substation caught fire during suspected cable theft and vandalism.”
The City Power team on Wednesday afternoon recovered tools such as a hacksaw, cutter and screwdrivers, normally used during vandalism and theft, Mangena said. A cellphone was also recovered from the site of the fire.
TimesLIVE
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