Huguenot Tunnel could reopen within days following fire - SANRAL

SK

Sara-Jayne Makwala King

8 October 2025 | 9:40

SANRAL says the majority of the damage to the tunnel affected its operational systems rather than its structural integrity.

Huguenot Tunnel could reopen within days following fire - SANRAL

Officials have confirmed that critical repairs are underway after a bus caught fire inside the N1 Huguenot Tunnel late on Friday night.

All passengers were safely evacuated from the vehicle when the blaze broke out just before midnight.

SANRAL's Randall Cable says emergency crews were at the scene within six minutes.

"So well done to the whole team and the responders."

Cable explains that over the weekend engineering assessments were carried out to discover the extent of the damage.

"There's about 100 metres of lighting, communications, the fire-detection systems, there's been some damage to the concrete side panels and the concrete ceiling."

The assessment indicates that the tunnel’s structural integrity remains sound, but Cable says several critical repairs are required before it can be safely reopened.

"Even if you have a small section that's not functional, it has an impact on the rest of the tunnel."

And a timeframe for reopening the tunnel?

"We're talking days, as opposed to weeks" says Cable.

Since the tunnelopened 37 years ago, 135 million vehicles have passed through it.

"On average, there's about 14 000 vehicles going through there, of which about 3 000 are heavy vehicles."

In almost four decades there have been two major fires in the tunnel says Cable.

"The one major fire was 2005 and there was a lot of damage, it was actually very similar to the fire we had on Friday."

To listen to Randall Cable, SA National Roads Agency Western Region Manager, in conversation with Lester Kiewit on CapeTalk's Good Morning Cape Town show, click on the audio below:

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