Boksburg

Authorities are sweeping the scene of the Boksburg explosion after a severed hand was found. Image: Paramedics, SAPS and Firefighters South Africa Facebook page

Boksburg explosion: Authorities sweeping the scene for body parts

Authorities are sweeping the scene where the Boksburg explosion occurred after a severed hand was found in one of the trees in the area

Boksburg

Authorities are sweeping the scene of the Boksburg explosion after a severed hand was found. Image: Paramedics, SAPS and Firefighters South Africa Facebook page

Gauteng EMS along with the South African Police Service (SAPS) K9 Search and Rescue are on the scene where the Boksburg tanker explosion occurred.

They are sweeping the area after more body parts were found.

Hand found in tree

Gauteng Police Commissioner, Elias Mawela, told eNCA that one of the patients who visited the Tambo Memorial Hospital saw something suspicious in the branches of a tree.

He informed authorities, and upon closer investigation, they found it to be a hand.

Authorities believe that there may be more body parts scattered around the area.

Boksburg explosion death toll at 37

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said on Wednesday, 4 January 2023, that he was saddened by the increasing death toll after the Boksburg explosion.

The number of fatalities now stands at 37.

According to the province, 12 of the 37 people who died were healthcare workers.

10 of them were government employees and two were agency staff. All of them were stationed at Tambo Memorial Hospital (TMH).

The provincial government confirmed that 35 TMH staff members were injured during the incident, these injuries include those who have died.

Eight Ekurhuleni Emergency Medical Service personnel were injured during the explosion, and six have since been discharged.

 Two of them have been moved from intensive care to regular wards and are doing well.

ALSO READ: Boksburg explosion death toll spikes to 37