City of Johannesburg manager Floyd Brink has commended the work of the first-time responders that attended to the explosion on Lilian Ngoyi/Bree Street on Wednesday afternoon.
Brink confirmed that the incident claimed a single life and left 46 people injured and hospitalised.
“Let me, from the onset, commend the work of the various first responders that attended to the scene, the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), Johannesburg Emergency Services (EMS), South African Police Services (SAPS), Gauteng Provincial Government Ambulance services, and key private players in the security and emergency response services who joined the effort.
“Within an hour of the explosion, plans were afoot to manage the scene, search for survivors and any fatalities, locate the source of the explosion, and secure the perimeter of the site.”
He says city engineers and specialists from Johannesburg Roads Agency, Johannesburg Water, City Power, and representatives of eGoli Gas have been on the site to ascertain facts on the source of the explosion and the triggers.
“As the City, 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.”
It has also been revealed that a multi-disciplinary team has established to work around the clock, and immediate action is being undertaken.
Joburg Water will provide mobile water and sanitation services to residents in the area.
“We have also deployed advanced technology to assess and review underground damage to the infrastructure. The technology deployed is world-class and first of its kind on the continent, and has assisted us to identify underground defects underneath the surface of the roads that are still intact and unaffected at this stage.”