Emergency services said that ten people died and about 40 were hurt when a gasoline tanker exploded in Boksburg, South Africa, east of Johannesburg.
On Saturday morning, a tanker carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) became trapped beneath a bridge near a hospital and homes.
“A gas truck was stuck under a bridge, according to a call we received at 7:50 in the morning. The fires needed to be put out, so firefighters were called. Sadly, the tanker caught fire and detonated. According to AFP, William Ntladi is the region’s emergency services spokeswoman.
The driver was one of those hurt and was brought to a hospital, he added.
According to Ntladi, the victims were in critical condition. Additionally, six firefighters experienced minor wounds.
Social media videos depicted a massive explosion under the bridge, which the tanker didn’t seem to be able to fit under because of its height.
It was coming from the southeast of the country and was carrying 60,000 liters of LPG, a fuel used for cooking and gas burners.
Witness A “big jolt” was felt shortly after 6:30 a.m. local time, according to Jean Marie Booysen.
Standing next to a forensics team searching the scene, she remarked, “Today is truly a really sad day in our little neighborhood.”
“When I walked upstairs to make my tea, I noticed huge flames. “I believed there was a home fire,” she said.
The girl, 16, and the boy, 25, who came and mowed my grass every weekend, perished here across the street; she claimed to have learned afterwards.
William, a second witness who didn’t give his last name, said that there were a series of explosions and that people in the area could feel them.
“I believe I was approximately 50 meters away from the area, and I was about 400 meters away when the third one exploded,” he claimed. We did ignite a fire behind our backs.
