South Africa: At least 16 in Boksburg after inhaling nitrate gas

At least 16 people have lost their lives after inhaling toxic gas in South Africa’s Boksburg area on Wednesday, the South African police confirmed.

The accident happened at the Angelo Squatter camp in Boksburg, a city on the eastern outskirts of Johannesburg. There is confusion as to the real death toll, with conflicting reports being cited by various sources.

The death toll was initially reported in South African media as 24, based on the statements given by William Ntladi, Spokesperson for the Disaster and Emergency Management Services, Ekurhuleni.

“When we arrived, we found out that there was no explosion, but gas leakage. As I am speaking to you, I can confirm that the 24 people have died, including women and children, due to nitrate gas inhalation. We suspect this could be linked to illegal mining in the area,” Ntladi said. “Search and rescue operations are continuing on the scene as we search for more possible bodies.”

However, the death toll was revised to 16 based on statements by the South African police and Panyaza Lesufi, Premier of Gauteng Province. The local police have confirmed that three children were among the victims, aged one, six, and fifteen.

Ntaldi said that the first responders have been unable to move any bodies as they wait for forensic investigators and pathologists to arrive at the scene.

“We can’t move anybody,” he said. “The bodies are still where they are on the ground.”

Illegal miners blamed for Boksburg gas tragedy in South Africa

The deaths were reported to have been caused by inhalation of the nitrate oxide gas, which was used by illegal miners to process gold. These miners, locally known as ‘zama-zamas’, mine gold from Johannesburg’s vast network of disused mines, and then process them in shanties above ground.

A South African Humans Rights Commission report claims that as many as 30,000 zama-zamas are working in South Africa.

“The zama-zama guys live amongst the community and clean and refine their gold here using gas cylinders. Sadly this time the gas cylinders leaked resulting in the people who were sleeping suffocating. [Others] who were awake died as they tried to run but the fumes were too much to bare,” an Ekurhuleni EMS officer told TimesLIVE.