Experts are draining from the Transnet petroleum pipeline that exploded in Alberton on Gauteng’s East Rand on Tuesday morning.
About forty homes in the nearby Verwoerd Park had to be evacuated and the residents are being accommodated at a local community hall in the area.
Transnet has blamed the explosion on an attempted fuel theft on the decommissioned line. No injuries have been reported.
Emergency Services personnel have managed to contain the fire but had been battling secondary fires because of the fuel that’s still in the pipeline.
“We’ve got Spilltec. These are the hazardous teams that are going to drain the product that’s still left in the pipeline. Remember, the Transnet pipeline has already been isolated, but there’s still product on the pipeline so they are going to drain that product,” says Eric Maloka, Ekurhuleni Emergency Services Spokesperson.
High pressure gas line on fire near Alberton ??? UPDATE. It’s a HIGH PRESSURE GAS LINE. EVACUATE AREA IMMEDIATELY. Sasol and Transnet en route pic.twitter.com/9pFUpONVwm
— BlueHawkTactical (@Bluehawktactic1) December 31, 2019
Alberton gas pipeline : The lines have been shut down. They have reduced the radius to 500m. Disaster Management on scene. Waiting for the volume to reduce. pic.twitter.com/e7aYR0n5fG
— BlueHawkTactical (@Bluehawktactic1) December 31, 2019
