[WATCH] Residents evacuated as gas line catches fire in Alberton
"The fire will subside as soon as there is no more gas and fuel running through," said the City of Ekurhuleni in a Tweet.
Residents of Alberton, East of Johannesburg, had to be evacuated from their home son Tuesday morning after a gas pipeline caught fire.
Social media users shared videos of the fire, saying those living within a 500meter radius were told to leave the area.
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Alberton gas pipeline : The lines have been shut down. They have reduced the radius to 500m. Disaster Management on scene. Waiting for the volume to reduce. pic.twitter.com/e7aYR0n5fG
— BlueHawkTactical (@Bluehawktactic1) December 31, 2019
We've just been evacuated from our house in Verwoerdpark Alberton #ekurhuleni please inform fam in the area gas line is on fire pic.twitter.com/4UyJJDHoKj
— Mbali (@MbaliMB) December 31, 2019
High pressure gas line on fire near Alberton 🔴🔴🔴 UPDATE. It’s a HIGH PRESSURE GAS LINE. EVACUATE AREA IMMEDIATELY. Sasol and Transnet en route pic.twitter.com/9pFUpONVwm
— BlueHawkTactical (@Bluehawktactic1) December 31, 2019
Alberton north Area , Explosion in Phillips street, Verwoerdpark. Residents within a 1,5 km radius should evacuate for their own safety. Gas line exploded pic.twitter.com/ATbMWsDYRa
— mickey and 50 others (@van_peeblez) December 31, 2019
Tiaan Kotzé of the Alberton Community Policing Forum (CPF) said on Twitter that the gas lines had been closed and that the situation would be monitored.
VWP Fire Update:
— Cllr Tiaan Kotzé (@TiaanK89) December 31, 2019
Good day All.
They have managed to close all the lines. They declare it safe at the moment. They will monitor it through out the day. If anything changes we will keep you updated.
Regards
Alberton CPF
076-105-0859
[email protected]
Ekurhuleni Emergency Medical Services (EMS) could not be immediately reached for comment.
However, the City of Ekurhuleni said in a Tweet that EMS services were on site and that no injuries had been reported.
"The fire will subside as soon as there is no more gas and fuel running through," said the City.
Technicians and #CoE Emergency Management Services team are on site and have shutdown the far down pipelines on both directions. The fire will subside as soon as there is no more gas and fuel running through.
— CITY OF EKURHULENI (@City_Ekurhuleni) December 31, 2019
No fatalities or injuries reported. https://t.co/vnpVYbpmQk