After an explosion in Braamfontein shook the city centre, Disaster Management and Rescue Services are working to clear out buildings, businesses, and onlookers in the Johannesburg CBD.
The explosion is believed to have occurred inside a manhole while personnel were performing maintenance work on the corner of Bertha and De Korte streets.
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While the fire has already been contained, the city’s infrastructure’s underdevelopment and maintenance has once again come to light.
Many highways that were closed due to the incident on Tuesday afternoon have since reopened, and Egoli Gas staff were seen collecting burnt debris, rubble and safety cones near the manhole.
“On arrival, we found that Egoli Gas employees were busy working closer to the truck. Their truck and the building they were working in front of caught fire,” said Emergency Services spokesperson Nana Radebe.
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Radebe stated that an investigation into the cause of the incident was now ongoing.
“At this moment the information that we have received is that it’s their usual maintenance but I’m sure they will have a full report of what they were doing and would also want to get information from them about what started the fire and where the fire had started.”