The death toll from the gas tanker explosion on Christmas Eve in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni has now risen to 37, the Gauteng government has confirmed.
The latest update brings the death toll of Tambo Memorial Hospital staff to 12.
“The provincial government confirmed that the number of staff injured in the incident was 35, not 13, as previously reported. 35 injuries included fatalities. The majority of staff have been treated and discharged,” the provincial government said in a statement on Wednesday.
Also read: Boksburg Blast – The science behind the blast
Several workers from the Ekurhuleni City Emergency Medical Service (EMS) who were injured in the explosion have been evacuated.
“Six have been discharged, while two have been moved from intensive care to normal wards and are recovering.”
The Gauteng Department of Health is still monitoring other patients at various hospitals, according to the provincial government.
A memorial service for the blast victims was held at the Boksburg Civic Center on Friday.
The December 24 blast occurred after a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker got stuck under a railway bridge.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the damage to infrastructure is running into millions of rands.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula is said to have a report on the cause of the tragedy.
“I will answer next week about the tanker because the tanker, which is flammable and dangerous, should be using the national road and everyone who owns it knows that. We have to give people who cry, people, a place to cry but now we have to face the problem,” said Mbalula .
The truck driver was released
Meanwhile, the truck driver has been released from police custody, pending further investigation.
Officials from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said there would be no case against the 32-year-old, as provincial police said there was insufficient evidence against him.
Apparently there had been a unilateral decision to release him.
However, the Road Traffic Management Corporation still believes the driver has a case to answer.
Innovative Staffing Solutions (ISS), the company that employs the driver, previously indicated that it had launched an “internal and independent investigation” into the circumstances of the explosion.
NOW Read: Boksburg truck blast: Driver ‘didn’t run’, he ‘tried to save people’