Gas leak kills 17 people, including children, in poor community in South Africa

Seventeen dead were detected in a gas leak in a poor community in the Johannesburg region of South Africa. According to information from the emergency service, among the dead are some children. However, some sources point out that the number could reach 24.

Emergency services received a call around 8 am local time about a gas explosion. At the same time, a fleet of 12 ambulances and a specialized unit were dispatched. When they arrived at the place, they discovered that it was not a simple leak, and that in reality the gas was being exhaled by a cylinder, which contained nitrate oxide, extremely poisonous.

Nitrate oxide is commonly used in the manufacture of explosives.

Spokesperson for the emergency service, William Ntladi commented on the entire case so far. “We count about 24 dead. Once the scene unfolds overnight, we will come up with exact numbers in terms of fatalities and victims who were hospitalized.” After a new count, 17 deaths were verified.

Ntladi also confirmed that the first information that arrived is that the gases were being used for a criminal activity of illegal mining, but that he still cannot say whether there are miners who participated in this activity among the dead.

_{Gas cylinder used in illegal mining (Disclosure / Emergency Service)}

According to the latest information, the area of ​​Boksburg, where this accident took place, has been evacuated until it is declared safe again by the emergency service.

It is the second accident of this magnitude to occur in Boksburg in less than a year. In December 2022, there was an explosion of a truck carrying gas to supply gas stations in the region, after the driver tried to drive over a bridge that was not high enough. Some nearby infrastructure was hit and damaged and the accident resulted in the death of 41 people, in addition to another 14 who were injured.

The emergency service will be active over the next few days to see if there were more victims in the case and also reported that the local police are already investigating the illegal mining process to seek those responsible for the deaths of these people.

Feature Photo: Emergency service and local police working on the case in the Boksburg area. Playback/Reuters