Caught On Camera: Suspected Gas Blast Rips Open Road, Topples Vehicles In Johannesburg

Six roads and 34 vehicles were damaged, some of the cars were flipped over on their sides, while the rumble caused a gaping hole, with a chunk of the pavement caving in.

The incident, that was caught on camera, shows several vehicles parked on the street tumbling over.

New Delhi: At least one person was killed and several others injured after a suspected gas explosion ripped open a road in South Africa’s Johannesburg on Wednesday evening, news agency Reuters reported. The incident, that was caught on camera, shows several vehicles parked on the street tumbling over, a crack formed on the road, and pedestrians running helter-skelter at the site of the blast.

According to the report, the body of a man was found under a vehicle and the cause of the explosion is yet to be ascertained. While gas leak is the suspected cause of the blast, it is yet be detected if it was from one of the underground pipes or from somewhere else.

At least one person was killed and dozens injured after an explosion hit Johannesburg's central business district, toppling minibus taxis, creating a crack in the road and sending pedestrians running away from the blast. The cause of the explosion has not yet been confirmed pic.twitter.com/7LOugWZcHc

— Reuters (@Reuters) July 21, 2023

However, the company that supplies gas to that part of the city ruled out the possibility of the underground pipelines being responsible for the accident.

A probe into the matter is underway as the city authorities brought in specialists to determine what other underground pipes or cables present in the area could have led to the blast and if there was a threat of another explosion or gas leak, reported news agency Associated Press.

According to a report by New York Post, as many as 36 people who sustained injuries were discharged from hospital on Thursday, while several others are still undergoing treatment.

“We are still searching for the source,” said Panyaza Lesufi, the premier of the Gauteng province, where Johannesburg is situated.

According to the report, six roads and 34 vehicles were damaged, some of the cars were flipped over on their sides, while the rumble caused a gaping hole, with a chunk of the pavement caving in.

Some residents living in the vicinity were forced to evacuate under the threat of another blast.

Recounting the horror, one of the eyewitnesses said, “I heard a big sound. The next thing, I was in the air and my car was overturning.”