Aftermath of suspected gas explosion in Johannesburg

Описание: (19 Jul 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Johannesburg, South Africa - 19 July 2023
++NIGHT TIME++
1. Street ripped open and damaged vehicles
2. Damaged street and vehicles, man taking video of scene
3. Damaged vehicles
4. People looking at damage
5. SOUNDBITE (Zulu) Thabo Mphuti, shop owner
"I think it was around 5 p.m. (1500GMT) or so when we heard an explosion, 'boom'. We had no idea what was happening at the time but we could see cars flying and falling to the ground. It was just a disaster and things had gone wrong. Something exploded between Rissik and Joubert (streets)."
6. Various of damaged street and vehicles
7. SOUNDBITE (Zulu) Caroline Ndlovu, Johannesburg resident
"Officials need to look into the cause of this explosion, what happened and why so much damage. That is the assistance we urgently request, because this is scary and we have small children."
8. Various of damaged street and vehicles

STORYLINE:
A suspected underground gas explosion during the evening rush hour ripped open roads and flipped more than 20 cars in Johannesburg on Wednesday, injuring at least nine people, authorities said.

The nine were sent to the hospital with injuries that authorities said were not life threatening.

Other people were evacuated from the area due to fears of a second explosion or that multi-story buildings in a downtown section of the city that has become rundown in places might collapse.

Authorities estimated that an area covering five city blocks sustained damage in South Africa’s biggest city.

Huge cracks and holes appeared in the middle of roads, some so big that vehicles slid down into them.

The explosion happened as many people were gathering on the street to catch a minibus taxi home, one of South Africa's most common commuting methods in cities.

Several minibus taxis and other cars were left on their sides or flipped over, with some lying on top of another vehicle.

Eyewitnesses said people were already inside some of the minibuses when the explosion threw them into the air.

The premier of Gauteng province, where Johannesburg is located, said that while gas was suspected as the cause of the explosion on the busy Bree Street, it was not clear if it came from a leak in the city's underground pipes or from another, undetermined source.

Johannesburg gas supplier Egoli Gas said in a statement it was unlikely that one of its pipelines was responsible, adding that there was no interruption in its supply in the area and its investigators had found no leaks.

Earlier this month, a toxic nitrate gas leak killed 17 people, including at least three children, in an informal settlement on the outskirts of Johannesburg.

The leak was blamed on an illegal gold processing operation in the settlement.

AP video shot by Nqobile Ntshangase

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