Ten people were killed and 40 injured when a tanker truck exploded in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, South African emergency services said on Saturday.
The truck, which was carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), got stuck under a bridge, near a hospital and several residential buildings.
“We received a call around 7:50 am with the information that there was a tanker truck stranded under a bridge. Firefighters received an alert to control the flames, but unfortunately the truck exploded,” said William Ntladi, spokesman for the region’s emergency service. He confirmed that the toll had increased to 10 dead, against the initial nine.
Among the injured, half are in critical condition and 15 in serious but stable condition. Six firefighters suffered minor injuries, according to Ntladi. One of the injured is the driver of the vehicle.
The truck was carrying 60,000 liters of LPG, fuel used mainly in kitchens and gas stoves.
AFP
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