At least 16 people killed after gas leak in Boksburg

At least 16 people including women and children have died from poisoning at Boksburg informal settlement after a gas cylinder leaked on Wednesday evening.

It was initially reported that 24 people had died from the toxic gas leak, but police revised the death toll to 16.

Ekurhuleni Emergency Services (EMS) spokesperson William Ntladi “I can confirm there was gas poisoning. A cylinder of nitrate oxide was found on the scene.

“Thus far we can confirm that about 24 bodies have been identified and [are] lying around at the Angelo informal settlement here in Boksburg.

“However, our emergency services teams inside are still searching through the informal settlement and through the shacks to identify if there are other patients who can be positively identified, so the number might rise,” Ntladi said.