A man died from a suspected illegal mining explosion in Bram Fischerville.
- A man died from a suspected illegal mining explosion in Bram Fischerville, Johannesburg, while two others were injured.
- Emergency management services said the explosion was caused by dynamite connected to a vehicle battery.
- This follows the explosion in the Johannesburg CBD on Wednesday evening.
A man died from a suspected illegal mining explosion in Bram Fischerville, Johannesburg, on Thursday afternoon while two others were injured.
The City’s emergency management services spokesperson Xolile Khumalo said the explosion was caused by dynamite connected to a vehicle battery.
Khumalo said one person died, one was rushed to hospital and another sustained minor injuries.
This explosion follows the blast that rocked the Johannesburg CBD on Wednesday night, which caused a sinkhole and left one man dead, over 40 people injured, and 37 vehicles damaged and a number of other recent explosions.
While some speculated Wednesday’s blast was a gas explosion, the cause has not yet been established.
Authorities rushed to the scene as residents around the epicentre complained of headaches, chest pain and difficulty breathing.
Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said on Thursday that none of the patients she had seen while visiting a hospital had symptoms associated with inhaling gas – they had all sustained physical injuries.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi visited the scene and said the situation was “completely under control, from our law enforcement agencies and our emergency agencies”.
Meanwhile, on 5 July, 16 people died in Boksburg after a gas leak at the Angelo informal settlement.
Ekurhuleni disaster and emergency management services spokesperson William Ntladi said at the time three children, five women and eight men were among the dead.
Another 16 people were admitted to hospital, four in critical condition and 11 in serious condition.
“Others were resuscitated after the intervention of paramedics on site. They were transported to Tambo Memorial Hospital,” Ntladi said. He said allegations were that illegal mining activity was taking place from one of the informal dwellings in the camp.
“It is alleged that nitrate oxide [sic] leaked from a cylinder and poisoned the community of Angelo informal settlement in Boksburg,” he said.
“As per information on site, illegal mining activities were ongoing using nitrate oxide to extract what is said to be gold from the soil within the informal settlement.”
The incident comes six months after the Christmas Eve gas tanker explosion, which left 41 dead and scores injured in Boksburg.
The fuel tanker exploded after it became wedged beneath a bridge only metres away from the Tambo Memorial Hospital.