“We counted 24 bodies”, confirmed to AFP, on the spot, the representative of the first aid service William Endaldi, clarifying that the searches in the slum are continuing.
At least 24 people, including children, have died from a gas leak near Boksburg, about forty kilometers east of Johannesburg, emergency and fire services said on Wednesday night.
“We counted 24 bodies”, confirmed to AFP, on the spot, the representative of the first aid service William Endaldi, clarifying that the searches in the slum are continuing.
When they received a call around 8:00 p.m [τοπική ώρα], with the information initially speaking of an explosion, members of the immediate assistance service determined that it was a gas leak. A container of sodium hydroxide was found on the spot. A leak from this cylindrical container is estimated to have poisoned the residents of the slum, based on initial investigation data.
What happened was a “gas leak from a cylinder, which was sodium hydroxide, a highly toxic gas, which affected residents of the informal suburb of Boksburg,” it said.
The incident is “still ongoing”, as “the entire affected area” is being investigated, in order to “verify” whether there are other dead or injured, the spokesman added, clarifying that teams were sent to area hospitals.
“Among the victims are children, and also women,” he added.
Source :Skai
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