Lightning strikes Eskom transformer at substation in Free State, causing fire
Feb 2019Published 14 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- Anglo Dankbaarheid Substation between Welkom and Virginia in the Free State
- Operator
- Eskom
- What
- Transformer four struck by lightning and caught fire
- Response
- Matjhabeng Fire Department and private company extinguished fire by 19:00
- Outcome
- Transformer four destroyed and power restored after 21:00
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Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): Eskom
What happened
A transformer at the Anglo Dankbaarheid Substation, located between Welkom and Virginia in the Free State, was struck by lightning on a Sunday afternoon and caught fire. Eskom stated that the transformer, known as transformer four, contained approximately 15,000 litres of transformer oil and was completely destroyed by the blaze, with an adjacent transformer also sustaining damage. The fire disrupted power supply to nearby mines. The Matjhabeng Fire Department responded shortly after 17:00 but reportedly could not extinguish the fire due to a shortage of water in the fire truck.
A private fire company was subsequently called in to assist and managed to extinguish the blaze by around 19:00. Power to the affected mines was restored just after 21:00 that evening. Eskom said it was assessing the extent of the damage.
Contributing factors
A lightning strike directly caused the transformer failure and fire. The local fire department was reportedly unable to extinguish the fire initially due to a shortage of water in the fire truck, requiring a private fire company to be called in.
Lessons learned
- Lightning protection must prevent direct strikes on oil filled transformers at substations.
- Fire trucks at substations need enough water to tackle large volumes of burning oil.
- Private firefighting contracts should be in place for remote substations with flammable oil assets.
More lessons on weather and external hazards, fire suppression and firefighting, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Extent of damage to the adjacent transformer
- Model and age of the destroyed transformer
- Cost of repairs and lost supply
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Source
Published 2026-09-14. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
