Scope
On 19 July 2023 a methane gas explosion devastated Bree Street in the Johannesburg CBD, killing one person and injuring several others. The blast caused major road and underground utility damage and disrupted water and power services across three city blocks. Delta Scan mobilised to site within 24 hours to lead underground inspections while safety on the surface was still being assessed.
Services
The team deployed the ELIOS 3 confined-space drone to safely traverse damaged utility tunnels that were too hazardous for human entry. Using SLAM-based LiDAR, drone photogrammetry and reality capture, the crew digitally froze the damage so that engineers and city officials could investigate off site. AI-assisted defect analysis identified critical cracking in tunnel soffits, including the section where emergency personnel had positioned a command hub, allowing safer perimeters to be established immediately.
Outcome
A full underground digital twin and condition report were delivered within 24 hours of capture. The city was able to begin clean-up and rehabilitation efficiently without prolonged street closures, significantly reducing community disruption compared with traditional manual investigation.