At least 24 dead in gas leak in South Africa, including children | Abroad

According to local media, the incident could be linked to suspected illegal mining activities. The gas would have escaped from a cylinder on Wednesday evening. It is unclear whether illegal miners were among the dead, according to a spokesperson. Search and rescue operations are still ongoing, he said. Most of the victims would have suffocated in their sleep. Others tried to flee, but the gas fumes also proved fatal. The media speak of “horrible images”.

In Boksburg, on Christmas Eve last year, it was also in the news. Then there was a huge explosion from a tank truck that killed up to 41 people. The vehicle got stuck under a bridge, probably because the truck was too high. Emergency services were called for help, but could not stop the truck from exploding. Social media showed footage of a massive fireball below the bridge. The car was carrying 60,000 liters of liquefied gas.