Cape Town – The City of Johannesburg is to test the CBD for the possibility of more gas leaks.
This follows a statement from authorities that they had narrowed the cause of the deadly explosion that ripped through Lilian Ngoyi Street on Wednesday evening down to three possibilities, according to News 24.
City manager Floyd Brink outlined them as the ignition of methane gas in underground stormwater systems due to sewage ingress, the ignition of natural gas mixed with oxygen in underground stormwater drainage systems or service ducts, and the ignition of gas from a burst gas pipe.
Workers, meanwhile, would open bulk manholes belonging to the City, Telkom and other service departments and entities to test for further gas leaks, the City said. However the work would be complicated by the fact that some of the manholes are welded closed to prevent theft and vandalism.
“At this stage we are unable to immediately open them for fear of igniting a further blast,” the City said.
In the meantime, gas pipelines, water and energy had been shut off in the area because of damage caused by the blast. The city said at this stage there is no need for buildings in the area to evacuate.
Mobile ablution facilities and water tankers have been deployed to the area to assist residents.
Technicians have also been sent in to assess the damage to power lines, However, power can only be restored once it has been declared safe to do so.
Once the area has been declared safe, Johannesburg Water will start working to repair damage to the sewer lines. That work is projected to take at least three days.
“We are confident we have mobilised the best skills and expertise required to respond to the incident and we will over the coming days ensure residents are updated and informed on work being done to mitigate the risks and repair the site,” the City said.
“The technologies deployed are world class and first of its kind on the continent and have assisted us to identify underground defects underneath the surface of the roads that are still intact and unaffected at this stage.”
ENCA reported that two of the at least 40 people injured in the blast are still in a critical condition. The sole fatality, a man who was found trapped beneath a taxi, has been identified through fingerprints, it reported.
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Compiled by Robyn Leary
