- Repairs to Tambo Memorial Hospital are expected to exceed R18 million.
- Parts of the hospital were damaged when a truck carrying fuel exploded nearby on Christmas Eve.
- Eighteen people died, including firefighters and staff at the nearby OR Tambo Memorial Hospital.
Initial cost estimates show that at least R18 million will need to be spent to repair damage to the Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg, which was damaged during a truck explosion on Christmas Eve.
During a visit to the hospital on Tuesday, Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements and Infrastructure Development, Lebogang Maile, said the blast had not caused any structural damage to the hospital building.
Maile added that an infrastructure assessment was carried out after “parts of the hospital shook a bit and we were concerned about structural integrity.”
The infrastructure assessment found that the urgent and emergency unit was affected, as well as the operating room, X-ray and antenatal rooms, Maile said. Damage was limited to ceilings, ceilings, windows, and doors.
The explosion did not “cause visible structural damage,” it said.
“There was no fundamental impact on the structure, which means that the structure is still in good shape. However, there was still a lot of damage,” he said.
Damage to the electrical system cost around R18 million and included lighting fixtures and wiring, among other problems, Maile said.
It added that the “mechanical areas” would require around R250,000 to repair in the affected wards.
Maile said the hospital’s HVAC service “almost collapsed” and would require around R250,000 to repair.
He added that contractors had already been appointed to attend to window and door repairs. He added that the hospital is over 100 years old and this presented some challenges in making repairs.
On Christmas Eve, a truck carrying liquefied fuel gas exploded under a bridge approximately 100 meters from Tambo Memorial Hospital, causing widespread damage to the hospital’s infrastructure.
The explosion killed 18 people and injured many others.
Among the dead were eight nurses and a driver from Tambo Memorial Hospital.
Thirty-seven people (24 patients and 13 staff) who were near the accident and emergency unit of the hospital at the time of the explosion suffered severe burns and were sent to neighboring hospitals.
On Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a statement saying he regretted the loss of life due to the explosion of a gas tanker truck in Boksburg.
“In this case, the loss of life becomes more intense because some of the victims were hospital patients, hospital staff and children, while firefighters are among the injured.”
READ | ‘We must prevent such catastrophes’: Ramaphosa calls for road safety after deadly Boksburg explosion
An investigation is underway to establish the cause of the explosion on the tanker, which is believed to have been carrying 60,000 liters of liquefied petroleum gas. The first indications are that the tanker truck did not fit under the low bridge, it was damaged, caught fire and exploded.
The 32-year-old trucker was arrested Sunday on suspicion of manslaughter.
