Several people have been injured following a suspected gas pipeline explosion in central Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city. The underground blast left a huge sinkhole on the street, damaging and overturning multiple cars.
Footage from the scene shows a deep crack in the ground, with vehicles scattered along the street in the city’s central business district.
What’s happening in Joburg cbd ?? People are sinking !! pic.twitter.com/Ix2GL9hYZ9
— Thulani Mathebula ?? (@chrisreymond89) July 19, 2023
The incident left at least nine people injured, according to local authorities. “Medics set up a triage area a safe distance away while Fire and Disaster Services evacuated the general area,” said ER24, an emergency medical service.
“Initial reports from the scene showed that several people had sustained minor to moderate injuries. The patients were treated for their injuries and later transported by various services to nearby hospitals,” it added.
The Johannesburg Metro Police Department urged citizens to avoid the scene of the blast, closing the area to traffic, which had already been brought to a standstill by the explosion.
An underground gas pipeline is believed to have been the source of the explosion, and a strong smell of gas was reported at the scene even after the blast. However, there is some doubt as to whether there was an incendiary explosion or whether the road was burst open by abnormal underground pressure of another type.
