A fire broke out in a switch gear room of an old, decommissioned power station in Pretoria West after 21:00 on 07 June 2024.
The City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department arrived on the scene to find the switch gear room covered in a blaze of fire.
According to city of Tshwane emergency services media liaison deputy Chief Charlse Mabaso said City of Tshwane Electricity Department technician issued a safety work permit and firefighters immediately started with firefighting operations and exposure protection of an adjacent building of the old, decommissioned power station.
The switch gear room had four (4) switch components with oil that was burning intensely.
“The switch gear room roof collapsed, and parts of the walls also collapsed because of the intense heat and an explosion that occurred inside the burning switch gear room.
An assortment of ten (10) firefighting vehicles and twenty-six (26) firefighters were deployed to fight the fire.
The fire was contained to the switch gear room and subsequently extinguished,” Mabaso said.
deputy chief Mabaso said one firefighter sustained minor injuries when a fire hose nozzle hit the face shield of her helmet.
She was treated at Unitas Hospital and immediately discharged.
The switch gear room fire affected the substations that provide most parts of Pretoria West with electricity.
“At the time of leaving the scene, City of Tshwane Electricity Department technicians were conducting an assessment on the extent of the damages.
The cause of the fire has not been determined,” he said.