Johannesburg - A number of family members are asking the government to help them bury their loved ones as far off as Mozambique after they died due to a nitrate oxide cylinder leak in Angelo Informal Settlement, Ekurhuleni.
Ekurhuleni EMS spokesperson William Ntladi confirmed that 17 people had died from the gas leak. Seven people who lived in a yard across from where the empty cylinder was found died at the scene.
Ekurhuleni EMS and law enforcement agencies discovered lifeless bodies scattered in different shacks within the yard.
Fernando Chiure said he was lucky to be alive; he was the only one who was present who survived, and he watched his brothers and sisters perish in front of his eyes. He said that of the seven people who died in the yard, four were family members.
"As you know, it gets cold in the evening. We made a fire and were sitting outside with one of my brothers. All of a sudden, we smelled a scent that was unusual, as if it were gas. My brother’s son went out to spill water he used after bathing; he dropped and died on the spot. The smell was very strong. My brother and I tried to lift his son, but he too fell down and died," said Chiure.
He added: "My son lives with his wife in one of the shacks; the wife told us that he had collapsed too. We were so confused that we blew whistles to get the attention of our neighbours. I was shocked to see people die before my eyes."
Watch: A community member of the informal settlement recounts the chilling details of the deaths caused by the gas leaks pic.twitter.com/wyJObRDLdn
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Asked why the gas did not affect him, Chiure said he quickly thought of getting a wet towel and used it.
"I am the only one who survived; I am really hurt," he said.
His brother, Ernest Chiure, said he was in Roodepoort, where he works and lives during the week, when he received a call around 6.30pm about the tragic incident.
"When I arrived in the yard, I realised that seven people were dead. I feel very bad; I have lost loved ones that were very close to my heart," said Ernest.
Watch: City of Ekurhuleni Spokesperson Zweli Dlamini says the issue of illegal mining is 'massive' not only in the region but all over South Africa pic.twitter.com/17jREmVJKH
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The mother of one of the deceased, Judith Manyisa, said her 19-year-old son, her 20-year-old daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren died.
Manyisa said she was called to witness the tragic incident by neighbours since she lives nearby.
"The gas smell was still strong. I wet a cloth, entered the shack, and discovered that my children and their children had passed away. I need assistance so that I can bury my children in Mozambique," said Manyisa.
She said they started noticing that the occupants from across the yard were illegal miners last year, but the people who lived there before were not involved in any illegal activities.
"We don't want zama-zamas, who are from Lesotho and Zimbabwe. Now look, our families have died, and as we speak, I no longer have a child. My son was my everything; he was like my mother or my husband; he took care of us; he was a breadwinner," she said.
Arriving at the scene of the incident, there was a thick and unpleasant smell from the gas still lingering in the air. Some locals said they were suffering headaches, dry eyes, and chest pains.
The Star