Johannesburg Emergency Services have confirmed a blast in Bree Street at Simmons in the Johannesburg CBD that has caused the road to partially collapse.
People are being urged to stay away from the area. Emergency services say it is not clear how many people were hurt in the explosion.
Reports of a gas line explosion in the Joburg CBD: Robert Mulaudzi:
Some reports say a gas explosion caused the road to collapse.
Images posted on social media show cracked tarmac in the vicinity of the corner of Bree Street and Rissik Street.
Motorists are being urged to avoid roads near or on Simmonds and Eloff streets in central Johannesburg following the explosion. One vehicle has overturned and several stuck after parts of the streets were ripped apart by the force of the blast.
UPDATE | Situation in the Joburg CBD following gas line explosion:
Emergency services are on the scene at the Johannesburg CBD assessing the damage. Around 16 people were in a taxi that flipped as the road opened up.
UPDATE | Resident shares her story of the JHB CBD gas explosion:
Authorities are creating a one kilometre radius evacuation area around the scene of the road collapse at Bree Street. This as there is a chemical smell in the air.
UPDATE | Road collapses in Johannesburg CBD, some injuries reported:
SABC reporters at the scene say emergency services are trying to clear people from blocks near Simmonds and Eloff streets. It’s understood they may be clearing at least a square kilometre radius. SABC reporters say there are some kind of chemical effluent in the air and fears are that it could trigger another explosion.
UPDATE | City Power still looking into cause of underground explosion: Isaac Mangena:
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, who is at the scene with Johannesburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda, says that the damage is extensive. No fatalities have been reported. He adds that nine people were rescued from the blast and are receiving treatment.
Premier Lesufi says a Joint Operations Centre has been set up at the Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown in Johannesburg. Lesufi says those injured have been rushed to various hospitals. He says the buildings around the epicentre of the gas explosion are being evacuated.
UPDATE | Authorities brief media on Joburg CBD gas explosion:
Egoli Gas believes it is unlikely that the explosion in Joburg CBD was caused by a gas pipeline or leak. The Johannesburg based natural gas reticulator tweeted a notice saying its network has experienced no pressure loss which indicates that the gas pipeline is intact.
“Our customers in the area continue to receive gas uninterrupted. Our teams are on site investigating for any gas leaks, they have found none so far.”
Egoli Gas believes it is unlikely that the explosion in Jhb CBD, Bree Street, JHB was caused by a gas pipeline or leak. Our network has experienced no pressure loss which indicates the gas pipelines are intact. Our customers in the area continue to receive gas uninterrupted. pic.twitter.com/Lv7qFY3LfY
— Egoli Gas (Pty) Ltd (@EgoliGas) July 19, 2023
Eskom says the Johannesburg CBD blast has caused a power outage in the city centre and surrounds and it will only be able to attend to the outage tomorrow once the area has been cleared.
UPDATE | Concerns as the cause of the Johannesburg CBD gas explosion is unknown:
The National Taxi Alliance has expressed shock following the suspected underground gas explosion in the Johannesburg CBD. The explosion damaged a stretch of Bree street, while a number of cars and minibus taxis overturned.
National Taxi alliance spokesperson Theo Malele explains:
“The National Taxi Alliance is shocked by the disaster brought about by explosions and we wish the hospitalised a speedy recovery. We are assessing the situation and listening to experts for further advise that will inform our further actions and activities. We will update our commuters and the public about operations and temporal relocations for safety reasons, if any.”
EFF concerned about safety of residents following Joburg CBD gas explosion:
