The devastation caused by the explosion on Bree Street Photo ENCA
Johannesburg – Authorities are strongly advising the public to avoid Bree Street in Johannesburg CBD due to a devastating underground explosion. The impact of the explosion has caused significant destruction, leaving a significant part of the street damaged. Several vehicles were propelled to the side of the road, resulting in one fatality and injuring 48 with 12 currently in hospital.
The cause of the explosion is not yet known. However, there are currently two theories at play. According to Environmental Scientist, Mariette Liefferink, one of the reasons is illegal mining. Underlying the central business district of Johannesburg lies a massive mining basin known as the Witwatersrand Basin. It is estimated to be the largest gold and uranium mining basin or void globally, formed over 120 years of gold mining by numerous mining companies.
“That void during active mining had been de-watered but since the cessation of underground mining, the void is now being re-watered but there is pumping currently taking place in the Eastern, Western and the Central basin.”
Illegal miners, known as “Zama Zamas,” are entering the open shafts left behind by mining companies and extracting gold from abandoned underground pillars. These miners are using gas to accelerate the gold dissolution from sulfide-bearing minerals like pyrite, creating unknown risks associated with gas usage.
The moment of the explosion as seen on a CCTV
The video shows the condition of Bree Street while the camerman describes how it felt like a bomb went off. The damage extends for 1 kilometer.
Cars lay on their side and on the pavement after the explosion ripped the street apart
The condition of the street after the explosion
Taxis and cars were flung into the air which shows how powerful the explosion was
A taxi laying on its side after the exolosion, a common site emphasising how strong the explosion was
Reports of an underground gas line explosion in the JHB CBD. pic.twitter.com/rz7KNQTl1G
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) July 19, 2023
Gas explosion due to a leakage
Witnesses at the scene described smelling gas in the air shortly after the explosion. Premier of Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, stated at a press conference this morning that they now suspect a gas leak could be what caused the explosion.
However, Egoli Gas, who have gas pipes running underground in Bree Street and service more than 8 500 customers, released a statement denying that one of their gas pipes was responsible for the explosion. In a tweet, Egoli gas said it believed “it is unlikely that the explosion in Bree Street, Johannesburg, was caused by a gas pipeline or leak.”
They further went on to say, “Our network has experienced no pressure loss which indicates the gas pipelines are intact … Our gas pipelines operate at extremely low pressure providing safe gas supply in highly built-up areas and are therefore unlikely to cause an explosion or explode”.
Furthermore, Egoli Gas made it clear their pipeline runs along the sides of roads rather than the centre where the explosion took place. Egoli Gas, however, did detect a “small leak” on the servitude pipeline at the corner of Bree and Elof on a 100mm pipe. They believe the crack in the pipe was “caused by the collapse of the road” and was not the reason for the explosion.
Onlookers have reported seeing a white gas-like substance coming from the opening of manhole covers. Egoli Gas also addressed this matter by stating, “our piped natural gas is not visible to the human eye, and this appears to be visible warm steam”.
The response from government
The City of Johannesburg officials have decided to shut down the main area of Bree Street as well as the two adjacent roads. According to Lesufi, the closure of the adjacent roads is being done as a precautionary measure until the structure of the buildings can be assessed and deemed safe.
The Johannesburg Road Agency has been assigned the task of road diversion, signal design and concrete barriers so the city can be accessible while the area is protected. The South African Police Service and the Johannesburg Metro Department are in charge of keeping the peace and ensuring the scene is not disturbed and no citizens are within the area.
All institutions that deal with gas or have underground pipes or cabling, have been asked to assist the City of Johannesburg in understanding and finding out the case of the explosion, said Lesufi. This includes the likes of SASOL, Telkom and Egoli Gas.
“Even though Egoli Gas insists that it is not their pipeline, it is now common knowledge that there is a smell of gas in the area. The teams from environmental health are assisting us to determine where this gas is coming from and also to advise us on the actions that we need to take.”
Al Jama-ah have released a statement calling for President Cyril Ramaphosa to convene an urgent meeting with all political party leaders to address the explosion. Ganief Hendricks, leader of Al Jama-ah, has also called on the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, to declare the “precincts of the explosion to be considered a crime scene”. The leadership will be in Johannesburg this weekend to attend a briefing on the explosion.
