Probe into gas pipeline blaze as 2 500 cops are evacuated

The cause of a fire that saw 2 500 police officers being evacuated from a nearby building was under investigation after a gas pipeline fire flared in Pretoria West, Tshwane’s emergency services department acting spokesperson Lindsay Zwelithini Mnguni said.

Multiple streets were closed after additional firefighting resources were dispatched from Innesdale fire station, Hatfield fire station, Atteridgeville fire station, Silverton fire station, Centurion fire station and Rosslyn fire station scene as backup.

Fighting the fire

It included two fire trucks, a foam tanker, a water tanker and a rapid intervention unit, to fight the blaze in Carl Street.

“The first firefighting units found a huge fire due to a burning underground gas pipeline,” said Mnguni.

“An outbuilding was also burning, but firefighters extinguished the fire before it could spread to a nearby house.

“The pipeline fire was left to burn by firefighters, who initiated evacuation procedures in the area for a radius of about 500m due to safety concerns,” he said.

Technicians from Sasol confirmed that natural gas was burning under pressure and assisted by shutting off the nearest valves that supply the pipeline.

“The fire was allowed to burn until the pipeline was empty. This was a defensive strategy to minimise the possibility of a secondary explosion that may have occurred if the fire were extinguished while the gas was still in the pipeline,” Mnguni said.

The fire was extinguished at about 5.30pm on Wednesday and no injuries were reported.

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Police say safety of trainees paramount

National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the national commissioner of the South African Police Service, General Fannie Masemola, ordered the evacuation of more than 2 500 police trainees, following the explosion at an adjacent business site to the Saps Tshwane Training Academy.

“The safety of our police trainees and members remains a priority,” Masemola said.

“This evacuation forms a precautionary measure to preserve the lives of our members.”

Mathe said the training academy was not affected. The evacuation included Saps trainees, trainers and members from various specialised units, including the Natjoints Coordination Centre.

The decision to evacuate was taken following advice and consultation from experts, Mathe said.

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