10 people including 6 firefighters have been confirmed dead and 26 others seriously injured in the horrific gas tanker explosion in Boksburg on Saturday morning.
Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services say several other people sustained minor injuries when the tanker exploded two times on Hospital Road in a residential area in Boksburg.
According to initial reports and videos captured before the explosion occurred, the tanker crashed into the bottom part of a rail bridge flying over the road.
It’s reported that the release valve got caught and bent over and a fire started.
Ekurhuleni fire department arrived on the scene and started to extinguish the fire when explosion occurred.
“It’s a residential area, just past the hospital and there are a couple of houses. It’s not very far from Germiston. The impact of this explosion also went to the lake and where trees seem to be on fire also earlier on,” said Simon Zwane from the Road Traffic Management Corporation.
A video on social media shows some onlookers and residents desperately run away from the explosion.
Two vehicles, a bridge, a fire engine were destroyed, 3 houses and a hospital were damaged in the explosions.
The rail bridge was completely destroyed.
The condition of the truck driver is not known at the moment.
