South Africa was coming to grips today with the full extent of the destruction and deaths caused by a Christmas Eve tanker truck explosion near Johannesburg as officials reported the death toll rising to 15.
The truck was carrying gas when it got stuck under a low-lying bridge in the town of Boksburg, on Saturday, sparking flames. As firefighters worked to extinguish the flames the tanker exploded, according to emergency services officials.
A “fire bomb” from the explosion substantially damaged Tambo Memorial Hospital, located about 100 metres away, authorities said. Three hospital staff members were among those killed, Minister of Health Joe Phaahla said.
The hospital’s emergency unit and x-ray department were badly damaged, he said.