Joburg blast: Business owners urged to alert insurance
Business owners affected by the explosion on Lillian Ngoyi Street in the Johannesburg CBD have been encouraged to contact their insurance brokers.
Vehicles lay strewn across the street (formerly known as Bree Street), which had collapsed after an underground blast sent them flying into the air, resulting in the death of one person.
In total, 34 cars were affected, of which 29 were minibus taxis.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said the owners of the affected vehicles had been traced, and all the cars were handed over.
“This is critical for purpose of claims of insurance, and also linking those that were injured to the accident scene, and also to finalise the necessary paperwork for many other regulatory requirements.”
Two days after the incident, authorities confirmed the explosion was gas-related but were still unsure of the exact source.
Businesses in the area have been locked in after barbwire was erected to reinforce barricades barring movement along the street.
Lesufi warned that, due to the extensive damage Lillian Ngoyi Street would be closed for a “long time”.
At another briefing on Thursday, City Manager Floyd Brink said 250 police officers and 50 private security officials would be deployed to the area to control public access.
Brink said they would not be evacuating residents after technical assessments revealed the structural integrity of the buildings had not been compromised.
READ: Still no explanation for Joburg explosion
Specialist public loss adjuster, Insurance Claims Africa (ICA), said businesses would be affected due to the limited movement of commuters in the area.
“There are two risks to businesses, the first being immediate, where access will be restricted while the current situation is being investigated, and the second is more medium term, given that the road and surrounding infrastructure will need to be repaired, which will restrict foot traffic, public transport and access to surrounding buildings,” said ICA chief executive officer Ryan Woolley.
He said businesses could claim against their insurance if they elected the Prevention of Access clause under their Business Interruption policy.
Woolley also urged owners of buildings in the area to conduct a structural evaluation of their properties, which would be covered under their building insurance policy.
ALSO READ:
