People planning to go to Johannesburg’s Helen Joseph and Coronation hospitals have been asked not to use the hospitals until the power failure in the western parts of the city has been repaired.
Parts of western Johannesburg were plunged into darkness when an electrical sub-station in Hursthill near the Helen Joseph hospital caught fire on Monday evening.
Technicians and contractors have been called from depots around the city but it is not known when power will be restored.
The provincial health department said in a statement that services at Helen Joseph and Coronation have been severely affected and asked people with emergencies to rather use the Johannesburg Hospital, Chris Hani-Baragwanath and Leratong hospitals.
City Power spokesman Sol Masolo said people who urgently need electricity should seek out generators. He said the company suspected one of its transformers had been damaged. The cause of the fire was not known.
”This type of incident is regrettable, especially when it affects our customers… We are committed to making sure we will do everything possible to restore power in affected areas as soon as possible,” Masolo said.
City emergency services spokesperson Malcolm Midgley said firefighters with three fire engines had managed to extinguish the fire shortly before 9pm.
”A joint investigation between Johannesburg Emergency Management Services and City Power will be conducted to determine the cause of the fire,” he said.
The areas affected are: Auckland Park, Melville, Hurst Hill, Westdene, Sophiatown, Newclare, parts of Delarey Park, Westbury, Bosmont, Claremont, Greymont, Crosby, Northcliff Extension 25, Rossmore, Richmond, Albertville and Martindale. – Sapa