Explosion and fire at Nyala substation in Pretoria East
Aug 2024Published 29 Sept 2026
Companies named in this entry: City of Tshwane
What happened
On 17 August 2024, an explosion was reported at Nyala Substation on Delmas Road in Pretoria East, South Africa. A volunteer medical crew that was first on scene reported a burning transformer, set up a safety area, and called City of Tshwane firefighters. Firefighters used an inline foam system to put the fire out. City of Tshwane electrical technicians then took over the scene to investigate the damage, and Tshwane Metro Police also attended. The cause, any injuries, the extent of damage, and any effect on power supply were not reported.
Contributing factors
The cause was not reported. The only equipment described as burning was a transformer.
Lessons learned
- Treat a reported substation explosion as a live electrical and fire risk until the network operator confirms isolation.
- Coordinate foam application for a transformer fire with the operator before crews approach the equipment.
- Early public accounts should state clearly what is not yet known about cause, injuries, damage and supply impact.
Source
Other entries that name Pretoria
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Published 2026-09-29. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.