At least 15 people including a 10-year-old have died in South Africa after a tanker loaded with 60,000 litres of gas got stuck and exploded under a bridge near Tambo Memorial Hospital in Johannesburg.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, 24th December 2022, also resulted in the injury of several people as well as the destruction of the Emergency Department of the Tambo Memorial hospital, two houses, and several cars.
Among the dead were three staff of Tambo Memorial Hospital—a driver and two nurses.
Some eyewitnesses who spoke to the press narrated what they saw.
“I went upstairs to have my cup of tea and I saw immense flames. I thought a house was on fire. I phoned the fire brigade immediately and they responded. They said: “no ma’am it’s fine. We are sending somebody. It’s ok…help is on its way.”
“And after that, I just received one bit of bad news after another. There are two children here across the road, 16, the girl and 25. The boy who came and did my lawn every weekend for me.
“They’ve charred. They’re gone. They’ve died,” lamented resident Jean Marie Booysen.
Another resident, William, added “I think I was 50 meters away from the scene and when the third one exploded, I was about 400 meters away, of which like, where we are standing here, most of us…we did burn behind our backs. Because even some of the stones from the rail (railway line, Ed.) you can see them on the floor here.”
According to a report by News24, South Africa’s Health Minister, Joe Phaahla, and Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko have been at the hospital to assess the infrastructure and medical equipment damaged as a result of the truck explosion.
Minister Phaahla said major structural damage was reported at the accident scene, as well as at the emergency unit and x-ray departments of the hospital.
The 32-year-old driver of the tanker has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of culpable homicide, negligence causing an explosion resulting in death, and malicious damage to property.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com