- The death toll from the Boksburg explosion has risen to 18.
- Family members can begin to identify the dead in morgues.
- A hotline has been set up to report missing persons.
Three more people have died after the explosion of a gas tanker truck in Boksburg.
Gauteng’s health department said Monday that the death toll now stood at 18.
Department spokesman Motalatale Modiba said the dead included eight nurses and a staff driver at Tambo Memorial Hospital, where the force of the blast severely damaged the accident and emergency unit.
According to the police’s preliminary investigation, the tanker truck got stuck while trying to drive under a low-level bridge. The impact resulted in an explosion, which spread to nearby Tambo Memorial Hospital and the residential street where onlookers had gathered to watch the initial fire.
Thirty-seven people, 24 patients and 13 staff members of Tambo Memorial Hospital who were in or around the accident and emergency unit of the hospital at the time of the explosion, suffered severe burns and were sent to neighboring hospitals.
READ | Boksburg explosion: woman discovers the body of a relative in pieces during the day of horror
Modiba said that Tambo Memorial Hospital needed to admit new patients.
Of the 321 patients in the hospital before the explosion, 42 patients were discharged on Sunday. Families with loved ones in hospital can call the center on 011 898 8000 to check their status.
Modiba said families can now turn to Germiston’s forensic pathology services to identify victims.
They can also call the 24-hour line at 082 306 2887. The funeral home is open from 08:00 to 15:00, Monday to Friday, excluding holidays and weekends. Although Tuesday is a holiday, it will be open.
Families must bring:
- Original identity document of the family member who comes to identify the deceased – Driving licenses will not be accepted.
- Original ID of the deceased person or abbreviated birth certificate. A birth certificate is acceptable if the deceased person is a child without identification.
- If the deceased is a foreigner, passport, asylum seeker’s certificate or letter from the embassy of the country of origin confirming who the deceased is and to whom the mortal remains should be delivered.
Members of the public wishing to report people missing from the explosion can contact the Gauteng Government Service Delivery Hotline on 0800 228 8227.
We live in a world where fact and fiction blur.
In uncertain times, you need journalism you can trust. For 14 free days, you can have access to a world of in-depth analysis, investigative journalism, featured opinions, and a variety of features. Journalism strengthens democracy. Invest in the future today. Thereafter, you will be billed R75 per month. You can cancel at any time and if you cancel within 14 days, you will not be billed.
