WATCH: Eldorado Park substation gutted by fire – several areas plunged into darkness

City Power has confirmed that the Eldorado Park substation has been gutted by fire.

The blaze started early on Friday morning, plunging the suburb into darkness.

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said the cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated.

“The teams are on site to basically do the investigations. The fire has been contained just before 8am, but the area is very hot in terms of the heat and its not safe to access by the teams here but we will wait,” said Mangena.

“Once the heat subsides, we will be able to get inside and do the assessments of the cause, cost to repair, the people affected and the cause of the fire,” he said.

Mangena said the damage at the Eldorado Park substation has impacted other substations.

“Because of the smoke and the interconnectedness of this substation, Orlando/Fordsburg has also tripped because of the smoke that is coming from Eldorado Park, so there are also other areas that are out.”

Mangena said areas affected by the Eldorado Park substation damage also include Devland, Olifantsvlei, Kliptown, Klipspruit and Freedom Park, among other areas.

He said there is no estimated time for the restoration of electricity in these areas.

Meanwhile residents in Lenasia and Zakariyya Park, south of Johannesburg, have taken to social media to complain that they also do not have electricity.

One user tweeted that they have had no electricity for days.

“Still no electricity and water in Zakariyya Park. No help in sight. It’s the long weekend.. I wonder if they’ll bother to work through it … highly doubt it.”

City power said it was attending to these areas which may have also been affected by the Eldorado Park substation blaze.

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