Several dead after gas leak in South African slum

At least 24 people, including children, died after a gas leak in a slum near Boksburg, about 40 kilometers east of Johannesburg, emergency services and firefighters reported on Wednesday evening.

“We have counted 24 bodies,” emergency services spokesman William Ntladi confirmed to AFP, on the spot, adding that the search was continuing in the slum.

Called around 8 p.m., initially to what appeared to be an explosion, emergency services found it to be a gas leak. A bottle of nitrate oxide was found at the scene. A leak from this cylinder would have poisoned the inhabitants of this camp, according to the first elements of the investigation.

“As the incident is still ongoing, we are busy checking the entire affected area to determine if there are any other deaths or injuries,” the spokesperson added, adding that he had sent teams to hospitals in the region. .

“Children are among the dead, women too,” he added.