Pyramid substation fire dumps parts of Tshwane in the dark
A fire at the temporary Pyramid substation in Hammanskraal left several parts of Pretoria without power on Wednesday morning.
The fire came amid the strong winds that wreaked havoc in parts of the city.
City of Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba said the storm left a trail of destruction in Hammanskraal and surrounding areas.
He said the Pyramid substation caught fire after being struck by lightning.
"The fire then spread into the high-tension yard. Emergency services was quick to respond and managed to extinguish the fire
“Power has been restored at the Rooiwal power station, but the rest of the customers, including the Rooiwal Waste Treatment Plant and the farming communities supplied by the substation, are still out.
“Technicians are currently investigating and assessing the full scale of the damage. An update will be provided during the course of the day," said Bokaba.
Meanwhile, in Johannesburg, the city’s emergency services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi says multiple shack fires were reported at the KyaSands informal settlement.
"The fire has been extinguished, and two patients were treated for smoke inhalation and later transported to various healthcare facilities for further medical care.
“At this stage, the cause of the fire is under investigation. We encourage residents in informal settlements to look after heating devices to prevent fires," said Mulaudzi.
Mulaudzi said no major incidents were reported. However, the monitoring teams remain on high alert in all seven regions of the city.
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