One dead, two injured in suspected illegal mining explosion incident in Soweto

Joburg EMS fire truck.

Joburg EMS fire truck.

Published Jul 20, 2023

Share

One person has been killed and two others injured in a suspected illegal mining explosion in Braamfisherville, near Soweto.

The incident is understood to have happened earlier on Thursday and is not related to the Joburg explosion which hit the city during peak traffic on Wednesday afternoon.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi addressed the matter during his media briefing on Thursday afternoon, saying they had received information about an explosion in Braamfisherville, but that it had nothing to do with the Joburg CBD explosion. The CBD explosion in Bree Street (Lillian Ngoyi Street) remains under investigation as the cause has yet to be determined, he said.

Joburg Emergency Services (EMS) spokesperson Xolile Khumalo said the incident was reported to them at 2.24pm, confirming one person had been killed and two others sustained injuries.

“Three bodies have been affected during this incident: one person has died from injuries sustained from the explosive.

“One person has been rushed to hospital and another sustained minor injuries,” she said.

Khumalo said Joburg EMS firefighters responded to the explosive incident and confirmed that the explosion was a result of dynamite that was connected to a vehicle battery.

IOL