---
title: "Second Johannesburg gas blast — five admitted to hospital after Braamfontein maintenance accident"
description: "Johannesburg Mayor Thapelo Gwamanda has reassured the public that gas released into the atmosphere after an explosion at the intersection of Bertha and De Korte streets in Braamfontein on Tuesday afternoon ‘poses no risk to health or life’. Five people were admitted to hospital after the explosion."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "INNER-CITY EXPLOSION"
author: "Michelle Banda"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/michelle-banda/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-09-05-second-johannesburg-gas-blast-five-admitted-to-hospital-after-braamfontein-maintenance-accident/"
published: "2023-09-05T23:24:59"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 471
---

# Second Johannesburg gas blast — five admitted to hospital after Braamfontein maintenance accident

> Johannesburg Mayor Thapelo Gwamanda has reassured the public that gas released into the atmosphere after an explosion at the intersection of Bertha and De Korte streets in Braamfontein on Tuesday afternoon ‘poses no risk to health or life’. Five people were admitted to hospital after the explosion.

By Michelle Banda · Published 6 September 2023, 01:24 SAST

## Key points
- Johannesburg's Egoli Gas pipeline maintenance gone wrong resulted in a fire at the intersection of Bertha and De Korte streets, leaving five people injured and residents warned to stay away from the scene.
- Gas explosion in Braamfontein injures five people
- Incident occurred during planned maintenance work on a 350mm steel pipe
- Egoli Gas confirms incident as an ‘isolated fire’, pipes have since been closed
- City of Johannesburg urges residents to evacuate and move away from such scenes

## Content

Just one month after a devastating [gas explosion](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-07-26-joburg-gas-blast-process-underway-to-declare-local-state-of-disaster-as-investigations-continue/) tore through Lilian Ngoyi Street in the heart of Johannesburg, leaving one person dead and at least 48 injured, and mere days after a fire that claimed the lives of [77 individuals](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-09-03-deadly-fire-prompts-city-of-joburg-to-seek-legal-clarity-on-evictions-from-hijacked-buildings/) in Marshalltown, there has been a gas explosion in Braamfontein in the inner city.

The neighbourhood is a vital link between the bustling Newtown area, connected by the Nelson Mandela Bridge, and the city centre. The incident occurred at the intersection of Bertha and De Korte streets.

According to Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, the Joburg MMC for public safety, preliminary information suggests that the explosion occurred during planned maintenance work on a 350mm steel pipe, which is suspected to have leaked.

> Fire broke out [#Braamfontein](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Braamfontein?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Cnr De Korte and Bertha , while the Egoli employees where working on an 350mm steel pipe that had a suspected leak. They were doing a sleeping procees to prevent the gas from leaking. This is an ongoing preventive maintanance by the [@CityofJoburgZA](https://twitter.com/CityofJoburgZA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)[pic.twitter.com/BgZkfElrkO](https://t.co/BgZkfElrkO)
>
> — Cmsr Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, PhD (@MTshwaku) [September 5, 2023](https://twitter.com/MTshwaku/status/1699068435282768369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

The gas pipes in question are owned by Egoli Gas, a natural gas reticulation company based in Johannesburg. The affected pipes have since been closed.

Egoli Gas issued a statement confirming the incident, describing it as an “isolated fire” within one of their gas pipelines. The statement assured that the gas pipeline had been promptly isolated and the fire brought under control within 15 minutes.

The City of Johannesburg said there had been no fatalities or injuries. However, Nana Radebe, the spokesperson for Johannesburg Emergency Management Services, said five people were injured and admitted to hospital. The incident caused an Egoli Gas truck to catch fire, which spread to a nearby building.

Johannesburg’s executive mayor, Kabelo Gwamanda, said, “Following the Bree Street incident, the city has placed pressure on Egoli and other service providers to test and maintain their systems to prevent future accidents and minimise the risk of leaks and explosions. Sadly, this explosion occurred during the course of such maintenance. All necessary protocols will now be put in place to monitor the scene, investigate the incident and make the area safe.

“Residents in the area are advised that they may experience a strong gas scent and must not be concerned as the gas is being released into the atmosphere and poses no risk to health and life.

“We must, however also decry a growing tendency where people converge around a scene of disaster taking pictures and videos as opposed to evacuating and moving away from such scenes. The [Boksburg explosion](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-01-23-death-toll-in-boksburg-gas-tanker-explosion-rises-to-41-as-class-action-gathers-steam/) must be a lesson that scenes of disaster must be cleared immediately by all.”

**Read more in Daily Maverick:**[Six months after Boksburg gas tanker explosion, families of 41 victims left with unanswered questions](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-06-26-series-of-failures-six-months-after-boksburg-gas-tanker-explosion-families-of-41-victims-left-with-unanswered-questions/)

This is a developing story*.***DM**