By Everson Luhanga
- A fire in a Joburg CBD tunnel caused by suspected zama zamas has left residents in the dark.
- City Power and EMS are working to restore power and clear the damage.
A fire in an underground tunnel has knocked out power in parts of Johannesburg’s inner city — and suspected zama zamas are to blame.
Emergency services rushed to Raheema Moosa (formerly Jeppe Street) and Harrison Street in the Joburg CBD just before noon on Friday after a fire broke out underground.
City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) spokesperson Nana Radebe-Kgiba said firefighters are still working to put out the blaze. “No fatalities or casualties have yet been reported,” she said.
Parts of both streets have been closed off to traffic so crews can safely deal with the situation.
Radebe-Kgiba said the cause of the fire is still under investigation. “Once the Fire Safety Officials have conducted an assessment along the route of the underground tunnel and can ensure there are no more flare-ups and the area is safe, the scene will be handed over to City Power to start conducting their own assessments to determine the extent of the damage.”
City Power has apologised for the power cuts and said it is working “around the clock” to bring electricity back to the area.
General Manager Isaac Mangena said they are ready to assess the damage once EMS declares the area safe. “We urge members of the public to assist us in the fight against cable theft and infrastructure vandalism by reporting suspicious activity.”
Mangena said the Fordsburg/Bree Substation was safely isolated after the fire broke out around 10am on Friday, which caused power outages in several inner-city areas.
“The team from the Johannesburg Emergency Services has managed to put out the fire and are still on site to monitor the situation and to help in clearing the smoke and other residual toxins from the tunnels, to ensure that our teams can safely access the site.”
Preliminary investigations suggest that illegal mining activity by zama zamas could be the cause of the fire. This is not the first time illegal mining has been linked to underground tunnel fires.
City Power is now working on rerouting power to some areas where it is safe to do so.
Pictured above: Johannesburg EMS battles fires in Johannesburg CBD.
Image source: Johannesburg EMS
