10 Killed, 40 Injured after fuel tanker explodes in South Africa

At least ten people died and around 40 others were injured when a fuel tanker exploded in Boksburg, a South African city east of Johannesburg, emergency services said on Saturday.

The tanker, transporting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), was caught beneath a bridge close to a hospital and houses on Saturday morning.

“We received a call at 0750 telling us a gas tanker was stuck under a bridge. Firefighters were called to extinguish the flames. Unfortunately, the tanker exploded,” William Ntladi, spokesman for the emergency services in the region  stated..

One of those injured was the driver who has been taken to hospital, he added.

He said the death count had risen to 10 from the nine reported earlier.

Of those injured, around half were in a serious condition while 15 others were seriously hurt but in a stable condition.

E.M