Police said on Sunday that a 32-year-old driver has been charged with multiple counts of culpable homicide, negligent causing an explosion resulting in death, and malicious damage to property.
The authorities announced that the death toll from Saturday’s tanker explosion in Boksburg has risen from 10 to 15.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the tanker which contained 60,000 litres of LPG gas got stuck trying to drive through a low bridge and impact resulted the explosion, the police said. The tanker was travelling from Richards Bay to Botswana.
The driver was not harmed in the incident. On Sunday Health Minister Joe Phaahla said: “The information, if true, knowing what he was carrying… he did anticipate trouble, and it was alleged that he tried to warn people to keep far away. That is the story one is getting.
The incident which took place on Saturday left scores of people injured. Anong the 15 people who were killed by the explosion is a 10-year-old child. One family lost four family members from the explosion.
Phaahla said three staff members- a driver and two nurses- who were among the dead, are from Tambo Memorial Hospital.
An estimated 13 staff members and 24 patients were at the hospital’s emergency unit at the time of the explosion and sustained severe burns. All of them were transferred to neighbouring hospitals
The truck was carrying liquid Petroleum gas.
“Apparently, a gas tanker drove under the subway bridge and got stuck in there, and due to friction, it caught alight,” Emergency Services spokesperson William Ntladi was quoted as saying.
On Sunday Phaahla and Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko were at the hospital to assess the damage that was caused by the explosion on infrastructure and medical equipment.
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