South Africa tanker blast: death count reaches 27

Johannesburg: Th death count from the tanker blast here in South Africa has reached 27, as per a fresh update from the provincial department on Thursday. The blast had torn off the emergency department at the Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg. It also destroyed two houses and some cars and injured people who up to 500-metre radius, Reuters reported.

Gauteng Department of Health said in its statement that the health department confirms that the death toll reached 27. Ten out of them were health workers at the hospital.

Earlier, the authorities had informed that 18 people died, and the number was expected to go up since there were those injured with server burns out of the blast.

A truck driver was arrested on suspicion of culpable homicide. However, he was released on Wednesday because of a lack of evidence, according to local media.

In the meantime, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa promised that the affected people would have the government's support, and authorities are examining the blast.

On Saturday morning, a tanker carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) became trapped beneath a bridge near a hospital and homes.

"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, told AFP after the incident.

Social media videos depicted a massive blaze beneath the bridge, which the tanker appeared to be too high to pass under.

It came from the southeast of the country and was carrying 60,000 litres of LPG gas, which is used primarily in cooking and gas burners.