Johannesburg Emergency Services have officially confirmed that one body was recovered by firefighters following an explosion in the Johannesburg Central Business District (CBD).
The unexplained explosion occurred during rush hour on Wednesday, causing significant damage to the main road and resulting in injuries to 41 individuals.
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In the initial stages, emergency services pointed to underground gas pipes as the likely cause of the explosion.
However, the Egoli Gas company released a statement countering this assumption, stating that there was little possibility the explosion, which caused damage to the road surface and overturned vehicles, including minibus taxis, was caused by a gas pipeline or leak.
The company clarified that their gas network remained intact, and gas supply to customers in the area continued uninterrupted.
Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, arrived at the scene late on Wednesday evening and reported that the preliminary investigation did not uncover the cause behind the blast.
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He reassured the public that the situation was entirely under control and that experts would conduct a thorough assessment to provide further information.
Lesufi expressed deep concern over the extent of the damage, especially considering the incident occurred during peak traffic hours, exacerbating its impact.
