Steamatic Global Recovery Restores Vodacom Kwale Street Exchange, Tanzania
Vodacom, a leading cellular network provider in Tanzania – Africa, faced a critical challenge when a fire broke out in the battery room of its MSC building, causing extensive smoke and soot contamination throughout the exchange.
The Challenges:
Whilst the thermal damage was contained to areas adjoining the origin of the fire, the resultant smoke and soot contamination was extensive throughout the exchange. The main challenge was to clean and decontaminate the facility swiftly and effectively without any disruption to the telecommunications services essential for the country.
The Solution:
Steamatic Global Recovery responded promptly by mobilising its Major Loss team within 48 hours of the incident. A dedicated project team consisting of 14 certified team members was deployed to Tanzania. The solution included:
- Controlled Environment: Ensuring the environment was controlled to minimise the risk of corrosion and further system failures.
- Comprehensive Decontamination: Simultaneously cleaning all 12 contaminated rooms to mitigate the risk of extended system downtime.
- Soot Removal: Thoroughly cleaning and decontaminating soot from under suspended floors to prevent ongoing contamination.
- Preventative Measures: Using latex to encapsulate inaccessible sections of the roof cavity, preventing the fallout of soot and re-contamination.
- Collaborative Approach: Working closely with Vodacom management from their Head Office in Johannesburg, South Africa to coordinate efforts and minimise business interruption.
The Outcomes:
Through swift action and meticulous execution, Steamatic Global Recovery successfully restored Vodacom’s Kwale Street Exchange to its fully operational capability. By ensuring thorough decontamination and implementing preventative measures, Steamatic safeguarded against potential system failures and maintained uninterrupted telecommunications services vital for Tanzania.
The collaborative approach with Vodacom management proved instrumental in minimising business disruption, highlighting Steamatic’s expertise in managing critical recovery operations with efficiency and professionalism.
This case study illustrates how proactive disaster recovery planning and rapid response can mitigate risks and ensure continuity for essential services, even in challenging circumstances.
