Egoli Gas has denied early reports that the massive explosion in the Johannesburg inner city on Wednesday was caused by a gas leak.
There was panic and shock in the Central Business District when a major explosion on Bree Street echoed in some parts of the town.
Cars, including taxis, were damaged and at least nine people were rushed to hospital with what a paramedic at the scene described as "serious to minor injuries".
Underground gas lines were initially thought to have caused the explosion, and a strong smell of gas has been reported to pervade the site. However, in a statement, Egoli Gas said it believed it is "unlikely" that the explosion was caused by a gas pipeline or leak. "Our network has experienced no pressure loss, which indicates the gas pipelines are intact.
"Our customers in the area continue to receive gas uninterrupted," read the statement.
The gas provider further added that while the explosion appears to have been located in the centre of the road, Egoli's "gas pipelines are located in the road servitudes on the sides of roads."
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, who visited the scene, told News24 that residents had complained of headaches, chest pains and breathing difficulties. Lesufi said it was a miracle that no fatalities had been reported. He said the damage is excessive and that disaster management teams were checking buildings and asking people to leave the area.
There are reports that residents of flat blocks at the epicentre have been advised by disaster management teams to leave and those on their way to their flats have been turned back, while teams check whether the buildings are safe.
City Power, whose Bree Street substation is close to the site of the explosion, said technicians were on site checking the cause and extent of the damage. Spokesperson Isaac Mangena told Newzroom Afrika that if the explosion has affected the electricity infrastructure, "we may have a situation where the residents within the CBD may not have electricity ... it may take a while before we basically recover."
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Speaking to Scrolla.Africa soon after the explosion, ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba said blame for the disaster lies at the feet of the ANC government. "There is no accountability for the deterioration of the once glorious city from the governing party," he said.
As the cause of the explosion has yet to be established, there is currently no evidence that the government is to blame.
The DA in Gauteng has called on the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mzi Khumalo, to launch an urgent investigation into the cause of the explosion.
Solly Msimanga, leader of the opposition in Gauteng province, said the explosion is life-threatening for the tens of thousands of workers, job seekers, and residents of the CBD.
"The cause of today's explosion must be determined as a matter of urgency to prevent further incidents like this from occurring again," he said.
Msimanga said the explosion occurred along the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT) route, which means that the structural integrity of the road must be determined before public transport can use it again.
Johannesburg Metro Police Department spokesperson Xolani Fihla said EMS and JMPD officers are on the scene assessing the extent of the damage as well as any injuries.
Meanwhile, the National Taxi Alliance has said it is assessing the situation and will "update commuters and the public about temporal relocations for safety reasons."
