Explosion and fire at Nyala substation in Pretoria East
Aug 2024Published 29 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
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Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): City of Tshwane
What happened
On 17 August 2024, volunteer responders reported an explosion at Nyala Substation on Delmas Road in Pretoria East. They found a burning transformer, set up a safety area, and called City of Tshwane firefighters. Crews then set up an inline foam system and used foam on the fire. City of Tshwane electrical technicians took over the scene to assess the damage, and Tshwane Metro Police also attended. The cause, any injuries, and any effect on supply were not reported.
Contributing factors
The cause was not reported. The only detail given is that a transformer was burning after the explosion.
Lessons learned
- Treat a reported substation explosion as a live fire until the scene is assessed, and keep a safety area until the operator takes over.
- A burning transformer may need foam, so tell the fire service what resources are required before crews arrive.
- Hand the scene to the network operator for damage assessment, and do not treat the cause as known until that investigation is reported.
More lessons on fire suppression and firefighting, investigation and fleet-wide checks, from every incident on the register.
Source
Published 2026-09-29. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
