A suspected gas explosion ripped through central Johannesburg during rush hour on Wednesday, tearing through a main road and injuring 41 people, South African officials have said.
Emergency services initially blamed underground gas pipes, but the Egoli Gas company said it was "unlikely" the explosion – which cracked tarmac and overturned vehicles including minibus taxis – "was caused by a gas pipeline or leak".
"Our network has experienced no pressure loss which indicates the gas pipelines are intact. Our customers in the area continue to receive gas uninterrupted," the company said in a statement.
"It's a miracle there are no fatalities," said Panyaza Lesufi, the provincial Premier of Gauteng, which includes Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Forty-one people were injured, including two in a critical condition, nine seriously injured and 30 with minor injuries, according to Mr Lesufi.
He said a preliminary investigation did not reveal the cause of the blast. "[The] situation is completely under control," he said.
Experts would "get the full view and advise us".
"The damage is extensive. It's a bad situation... It was peak time."
The 5pm 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 that people were already inside some of the minibuses when the explosion threw them into the air. In the immediate moments after the blast, people were seen running as smoke poured out of a crack in the road.
One man, who did not give his name, told television station eNCA that he was in his car when he heard “a big sound. The next thing, I was in the air and my car was overturning,” he said. He said he was shaken but unhurt.
Emergency crews were searching through some of the mangled, overturned vehicles and nearby buildings, and Mr Lesufi said there could be more injured people. He said it was surprising but a relief that no deaths were reported.
Mr Lesufi said rescue workers were worried about the amount of gas that had leaked out as a distinct smell of gas hung in the area.
“This place is still dangerous,” he said.
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.
What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
MATCH INFO
Bayern Munich 2 Borussia Monchengladbach 1
Bayern: Zirkzee (26'), Goretzka (86')
Gladbach: Pavard (37' og)
Man of the Match: Breel Embolo (Borussia Monchengladbach)
TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Low turnout
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.
Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.
"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."
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MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 1', Kane 8' & 16') West Ham United 3 (Balbuena 82', Sanchez og 85', Lanzini 90' 4)
Man of the match Harry Kane
DUNGEONS%20%26%20DRAGONS%3A%20HONOR%20AMONG%20THIEVES
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World Sevens Series standing after Dubai
1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
9. France
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Canada
13. Wales
14. Uganda
15. United States
16. Russia
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
