Koedoespoort substation fire causes blackouts in Tshwane

A fire broke out at the Koedoespoort substation in East Lynne, east of Pretoria, on Friday.

Giving an update from the scene, Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink said the blaze caused power outages in Queenswood, Moregloed, Kilner Park, East Lynne, Waverley and surrounding areas.

Emergency services responded promptly, he added.

“The damage is largely contained, but only after the fire has been extinguished will we be able to assess the extent of the damage and give a clear indication of when power will be restored to these communities. I do want to give residents the assurance that we are here. The councillors from all the affected areas are on site assessing the damage and we are making sure work is done to restore power as soon as possible, even though we cannot give a credible timeline at this point,” said Brink.

Tshwane emergency services spokesperson Charles Mabaso said the fire had been extinguished and firefighters were cooling down the substation, while utility services assessed the damage.

He said the cause was suspected to be a veld fire, but further investigations would determine the exact reason.

“Further updates will be provided in terms of what areas will be affected by the substation and what the timelines in terms of the repairs will be,” said Mabaso.

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