Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi says an investigation into the deadly Lillian Ngoyi (Bree) Street explosion that ripped through the heart of the Johannesburg CBD is now being investigated by the Department of Labour.
The blast claimed the life of one person and left at least 48 others with injuries.
Some eight people remain hospitalised.
“Currently, as we speak, there is no confirmation regarding the cause of the explosion. We have preliminary reports from the Department of Labour. We've got reports of all institutions that have one form of infrastructure underground…Telkom, Egoli Gas, Sasol, City Power and all those institutions,” he said.
The Premier said a preliminary report by the Department of Labour indicates that there may be similarities to an incident that occurred in 2010, also in Johannesburg.
“The department…indicates that the nature of gas when it exploded and what has happened here is similar to what has happened at Yeoville…what is known as Telkom Towers. They claim that there are similarities and on the basis of that…there are three manholes that are an interest to their investigations.
“The explosion came through those three manholes and the department of labour…are of the view, from their preliminary reports, that there are certain institutions that they want to interview further even though they have given us the reports that they have given us.
“They’ve analysed the nature of the explosion and they also feel that there is a gas that they still want to experiment so that they can tell us the type of gas that they are sensing that is responsible,” he said.
The Premier said a consolidated report from all relevant stakeholders is being compiled and the area still remains under close guard.
“We are still treating that area, from a risk point of view, that it might have a secondary effect. Which simply means let’s treat it [carefully] until all these reports are finalised. We must keep it closed from being accessed by people who are not authorised to be there.
“But since this morning, there have been many people going to that area. We believe that there is a breach in terms of the human element. So we have accepted the guidance and the advice of the provincial commissioner that we are pulling the human bodies from being the frontline. We are now going to unleash barbed wires across all the areas that are going to be identified as the scene … so that there’s no movement at all in that area,” he said.
People living in the area will be presented with permits to allow them to access their homes safely. – SAnews.gov.za
