Rodents suspected cause of fire at Raslouw substation, Tshwane

Apr 2024Published 20 Oct 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

MinorElectricalProvisionalNext update 20 Oct

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What happened

On 10 April 2024, a fire broke out at the Raslouw substation in Tshwane, South Africa, at about 11:50. Tshwane Emergency Services said the fire was promptly extinguished. A breaker inside the substation caught fire, and the substation had to be disconnected. Power was restored to Raslouw, Monavoni, Heuwelsig and Celtisdal, while Sunderland Ridge, Lekkerhoekie, Amca and Peachtree remained without power. Power was expected to be restored to the areas supplied by the substation on 11 April 2024.

Contributing factors

Preliminary investigations by the municipality indicated a short circuit, initiated by rodents that had gnawed through wires inside the substation panels. This was not yet confirmed by a full investigation. Further assessments by the municipal technical team revealed a faulty cable leading towards the Sunderland Ridge sewer treatment plant.

Lessons learned

Protect substation panels and cable entry points against rodent ingress, using sealing, mesh and regular pest control.
Inspect control and power wiring inside enclosures during routine maintenance, not only the external equipment.
Design and practise sectionalised switching so that supply can be restored quickly to unaffected feeders while a faulted section is isolated.

More lessons on electrical protection and isolation, maintenance, inspection and ageing assets, from every incident on the register.

Source

citizen.co.za

Published 2026-10-20. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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