Image via: flickr
Lockdown: Woman seriously injured after gas bottle explodes in Berea
The woman was allegedly walking back home after making a visit to the supermarket on day two of the nationwide lockdown.
Image via: flickr
A woman was seriously injured on Saturday 28 March — lockdown day two — after a gas bottle exploded in Soper Street Berea in Johannesburg.
It is believed that the woman was walking home when it exploded and caused severe damage to her leg.
Gas bottle explodes in Berea
ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said the woman was walking on the road when a 9-kilogram gas bottle exploded.
Meiring said paramedics had to perform advanced life support on the woman after metal came into contact with her leg.
“She was then transported to the Charlotte Maxeke hospital,” said Meiring.
A video of the incident was posted to Twitter by Graeme Hosken. Puddles of blood can be seen on the road as ER24 paramedics carry the woman to a nearby ambulance.
Watch: Woman seriously injured
Lockdown day two
Saturday 28 March is the second day of lockdown. Although South Africans have been encouraged to remain indoors to combat the spread of coronavirus, large groups of people can still be seen on the streets.
The queues for supermarkets continue to spiral in every city. According to Hosken, the woman who got injured was returning home from one of the supermarkets.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said that supermarkets and pharmacies would remain open in case of any emergencies during the lockdown. Other than that, most other things are off-limits.
Minister of Trade and Industry also specified rules on exports on Saturday saying:
“Any person or entity who intends to export goods included on the gazetted lists will have to apply for an export permit. These goods include but are not limited to face masks, hand sanitiser and selected medicines.”
Arrests during lockdown
On the first day of lockdown, a total of 55 arrests were made across the country.
The Free State accounted for five, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) for seven and Limpopo 10.
The North-West province saw 11 arrests and the Western Cape only two. Gauteng brought in the highest number with 20 people arrested for contravening lockdown laws.
Six of Gauteng’s arrests were residents of the Alexandra township, where law enforcement was forced to intervene as people continued to ignore the rules of social distancing.
“Ramaphosa gave orders to armed forces to go over the country and ensure that the people are protected and saved,” said Cele.
