The city has erected fences to keep people away from the site of the explosion while they investigate the cause Photo Jacques Nelles/Eyewitness News
Johannesburg – In the wake of a devastating gas explosion in Bree Street, Johannesburg, the city faces numerous challenges in ensuring the safety of its residents and restoring normalcy. The explosion that rocked Bree Street resulted in significant devastation and raised concerns about the safety of residents and workers in the area.
While the investigation is still ongoing to determine the exact cause, it has been confirmed that gas was present in the area, said Nthatisi Modingoane, City of Joburg Deputy Director for Communications. However, the explosion was not due to Egoli Gas, as its levels were negligible.
“The challenge for now, as the investigation continues, is to determine what was the spark. We can confirm that it is not the Egoli Gas. When we did our measurements the Egoli Gas ethane level was 2% but the gas level that we measured there is at 0%. We just want residents to give us some time so that at least we can get to the bottom of this. So that we can take processes forward. Having said that, we have managed to isolate a number of possible dangerous situations in that space so that we create a safe environment for workers to move in and start with the rehabilitation work.”
In the aftermath of the explosion, the city authorities acted swiftly to address safety concerns and restore essential services. Engineers were deployed to assess the structural integrity of the affected buildings, ensuring they were safe for residents. Additionally, air ventilation measures were implemented to remove any lingering harmful gases from the area. A safety perimeter was established to prevent unauthorised access to the construction site.
“Post explosion was to really move in with engineers to check the structural Integrity of the buildings. There were two elements. It’s the issue of the structures themselves and the air in the area in terms of air pollution. We moved in swiftly and we assessed all the buildings. We assessed floor by floor, from the basement parking to the highest floor of each building and there are no defects that were found. The engineers certified that the structures of the building are still intact and there was no shifting in that regard.”
Impact and Rehabilitation Efforts
The immediate area of the blast, including ten buildings, was cordoned off for thorough inspection and rehabilitation. The restoration efforts are comprehensive and cover the entire city centre, focusing on the underground network. Skilled experts in gas and explosion-related matters are working tirelessly to identify the root cause of the incident and prevent any recurrence.
“The teams have been busy since yesterday. We are using technology to assess the impact on our water infrastructure so that we do not just open water and find that there are other defects that have happened because of the explosion. We have done that assessment of checking the pipes through using sophisticated technology. You can literally see inside the pipes and check the defects, if there are any cracks and so forth. So far, our infrastructure is solid. It’s only at the point of the blast where we are doing repairs of the infrastructure.”
Since yesterday, electricity has been restored. Modingoane is hopeful that by later tonight or latest tomorrow, water would have been restored and people will be able to get back to their lives.
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Excluding the Zama Zamas Theory
Speculations emerged regarding the involvement of illegal miners (Zama Zamas) and their activities causing the explosion. However, this theory has been ruled out after thorough inspections showed no signs of such activities in the area.
“The issue of the Zama Zamas has been excluded because we went in there and there’s no sign of any activity. There’s no sign of anyone living in those areas that we’ve inspected. That theory is out of the equation. The likelihood and the theory that seems to be the one that we’re really pushing and investigating until we get to the bottom of, is the issue of the methane gas and how it was trapped to such an extent that maybe it might have caused the explosion. It’s work that is ongoing.”
Despite recent challenges in South Africa, the City of Johannesburg’s swift and efficient emergency response to the Bree Street explosion has garnered praise. Modingoane has attributed this responsiveness to the city’s current political stability, which allows for quicker decision-making and action. It is because of this responsiveness that he hopes the explosion will be a thing of the past for residents.
