Strong explosion tears huge cracks in a Johannesburg street; report nine injuries

2023-07-19 20:59:40

At least nine people were injured in an explosion, apparently in underground gas pipes, in the center of the city of Johannesburg in northern South Africa, local authorities confirmed.

“The situation is completely under control, by our security forces and our emergency agencies“, the head of the Government of the province of Gauteng (where that city is located), Panyaza Lesufi, told local media.

Despite stressing that “the situation is bad”Lesufi assured that no deaths have been registered, for the moment.

Along the same lines, Russel Meiring, spokesman for the South African private ambulance service ER24, noted that “The information so far indicates that no one suffered fatal injuries”.

In images shared by the population on social networks, you can see huge cracks that opened the road to Bree Street, as well as vehicles in an inverted position and with broken windows.

(AP)

Although the causes of the explosion are not yet clear, South African media reported that technicians from the public energy company City Power were on their way to the place of the explosion to clarify the facts, when the smell of gas could still be noticed in the place.

Emergency teams have closed part of the affected street and have given evacuation orders to residents buildings near the incident area.

These events occurred two weeks after 17 people – including three children – died on July 5 from a gas leak that occurred in the informal settlement of Angelo, near the city of Boksburg, some thirty kilometers to the east. from Johannesburg.

(AP)

Likewise, at least 41 people also died on December 24 in Boksburg due to the explosion of a gas tanker truck.

(AP)