The Gauteng health department said families of victims of a gas tanker explosion in Boksburg are now permitted to identify their loved ones’ bodies at the Germiston Forensic Pathology Services.
On Monday, December 26, 2022, the Gauteng department of health reported a rise in death cases to 18, which resulted from a gas tanker explosion in Boksburg that took place in the early hours of Saturday.
This includes eight nurses and one driver from the Tambo Memorial Hospital staff, where the blast’s force severely damaged the accident and emergency unit.
Department spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said the families of the deceased are advised to provide the following to the mortuaries in order to identify their loved ones, or they can also call their 24-hour line at 082 306 2887.
More on this: Bosksburg Explosion: Truck driver arrested and charged
The explosion left many injured and caused fatal injuries
The mortuary operates from 08:00 to 15:00, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays and weekends. Although Tuesday is a public holiday, it will be open.
- An original identity document of the family member coming to identify the deceased will be accepted; driving licences won’t be accepted.
- The original ID of the deceased person or an abridged birth certificate. A birth certificate is acceptable if the deceased person is a child without an ID.
- If the deceased is a foreign national, a passport, an asylum seeker certificate, or a letter from the country-of-origin embassy confirming who the deceased is and to whom the mortal remains should be handed over
The police preliminary investigations state that the gas tanker driver was trapped under a low-level bridge. This resulted in an explosion, which spread to the nearby Tambo Memorial Hospital and the residential street where onlookers had gathered to watch the initial fire.
They further explained that 37 people were involved in the accident, which includes 24 patients and 13 staff members from Tambo Memorial Hospital who were in or around the hospital’s accident and emergency unit at the time of the blast. These individuals sustained severe burns and were sent to neighbouring hospitals.
