In a devastating incident on Saturday, a truck transporting liquefied petroleum gas exploded in Boksburg, a town located east of Johannesburg, resulting in the deaths of at least eight individuals and injuring around 50 others, according to local authorities.

Emergency services officials reported that the explosion was triggered when the truck’s top scraped against a low-lying bridge, igniting flames that led to the catastrophic event. Eyewitness videos circulated on social media captured the harrowing scene, showing pedestrians fleeing the inferno and vehicles speeding away from the explosion’s impact.

The tanker was on its way to deliver gas to the nearby O.R. Tambo Memorial Hospital, where some of the injured were treated. The explosion necessitated the evacuation of patients from several hospital units, as local media indicated.

Local resident Simon Lapping described the scene to the Citizen newspaper, stating, “Walking through here was just a sight of absolute devastation. I have never seen something like this ever before.” He reported witnessing the tragic aftermath, including the bodies of six adults and two children.