A truck with liquefied gas explodes in South Africa; 8 killed

Video footage shared by residents on social media showed the dramatic explosion, with pedestrians fleeing the blaze and cars speeding dramatically. Several homes and vehicles were damaged by the blast, according to local reports.

The tanker truck reportedly delivered gas to the nearby OR Tambo Memorial Hospital, where some of the injured were treated. Patients in some units of the hospital had to be evacuated due to the explosion and fire, according to local media.

“Going through here was just a sight of absolute devastation, I’ve never seen anything like this before,” local resident Simon Lapping told local Citizen newspaper. He said he saw the bodies of six adults and two children.

The incident will be investigated, said Tania Campbell, the mayor of Ekurhuleni, the municipality that includes Boksburg.

“The Disaster Management Cluster is on hand to assist the victims of this tragedy and assess the cause of the accident,” she said. “On behalf of the city, the office of the executive mayor is committed to assisting all actors to ensure that a thorough investigation takes place and those responsible are brought to justice.”