According to the rescue team, the explosion occurred when a tanker carrying LPG got stuck under the bridge near the hospital and houses.
At least 10 people have been killed and 40 injured after a fuel tanker exploded in a town near Johannesburg in South Africa, emergency services said.
The explosion occurred in Boksburg on Saturday morning after a tanker carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) got stuck under a bridge near a hospital and houses.
“We received a call at 7:50 a.m. (05:50 GMT) informing us that a gas tanker was stuck under a bridge,” the region’s emergency services spokesman William Ndladi told AFP news agency.
“Firefighters were called to douse the fire. “Unfortunately, the tanker exploded,” he said.
He further informed that one of the injured is the driver and he has been admitted to the hospital.
He said the death toll has risen to 10 from the nine reported earlier.
Videos shared by residents on social media showed dramatic explosions, pedestrians running from the flames and cars speeding away dramatically.
According to local reports, several houses and vehicles were damaged in the blast.
The tanker was reportedly supplying gas to the nearby OR Tambo Memorial Hospital, where some of the injured were being treated. Patients in some wards of the hospital were evacuated due to the explosion and fire, according to media reports.
“It was a sight of absolute devastation walking here. I’ve never seen anything like it before,” resident Simon Lapping told the local Citizen newspaper.
He said he saw the bodies of six adults and two children.
Of the 40 injured, 19 are in critical condition and 15 are seriously injured but in stable condition, said Ntadi from the emergency service.
All six firefighters sustained minor injuries, he said.
There was no immediate information on casualties in the blast.
The truck had 60,000 liters of LPG, which is primarily used for cooking and gas stoves.
Tania Campbell, mayor of Ekurhuleni, the municipality that includes Boksburg, said the incident would be investigated.
“The disaster management team is assisting the victims of this tragedy and assessing the cause of the accident,” he said.
“On behalf of the City, the Office of the Executive Mayor is committed to assisting all stakeholders in ensuring that a thorough investigation is conducted and that those responsible are brought to justice.”
