7 injured after gas bottle explosion causes fire in Rivonia shopping centre

Seven people were injured when a fire broke out in a shopping centre in Rivonia in Johannesburg on Saturday afternoon. Picture: Netcare 91

Seven people were injured when a fire broke out in a shopping centre in Rivonia in Johannesburg on Saturday afternoon. Picture: Netcare 91

Published Dec 1, 2019

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Johannesburg - Seven people were injured when a fire broke out in a shopping centre in Rivonia in Johannesburg on Saturday afternoon, paramedics said. 

Netcare 911 paramedics responded shortly before 2pm to reports of a structural fire in Rivonia, Netcare spokesman Shawn Herbst said.

Reports from the scene indicated that a fire had started in a shopping centre restaurant, allegedly due to a gas bottle explosion. "On closer inspection, most of the building had been gutted by the fire."

Fire and rescue services managed to douse the flames. A total of seven patients sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate. An adult male patient had sustained serious burn wounds and was treated on scene by advanced life support paramedics. Once stabilised, all the patients were transported by various ambulance services to hospital.

Due to the nature of his injuries, the Netcare 1 specialised helicopter air ambulance was activated to airlift him to a specialised facility for the care he required. Circumstances leading up to the fire would be investigated by the relevant authorities, Herbst said.

African News Agency (ANA)

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