16 people, including 3 children, killed after toxic gas leak in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG — At least 16 people, including three people, died after a toxic gas leak in a South African settlement east of Johannesburg, authorities said Wednesday.

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Ekurhuleni emergency services spokesperson William Ntladi said a gas cylinder was found in a shack at the Angelo informal settlement in Boksburg, Sowetan Live reported. It was unclear if the shack owner was among the dead, according to the South African news outlet.

Authorities originally listed the death count at 24, but it was later revised to 16, Reuters reported.

“Sixteen is the verified number,” Panyaza Lesufi, the Gauteng province premier, told reporters. “The team has assured me that they have done a recount.

“It’s not a nice scene at all, it’s not a nice scene. It’s painful, emotionally draining and tragic.”

According to The Associated Press, the ages of the children who died were 1, 6, and 15.

Ntladi told reporters that police were called to the settlement at about 8 p.m., Sowetan Live reported. Police originally were told that a gas cylinder had exploded at the settlement.

“However, when we arrived at the informal settlement we discovered that the gas cylinder had not exploded,” Ntladi told reporters. “The cylinder had (instead) leaked gas, which was very toxic.”

South African media outlets reported that the gas leak could have been linked to suspected illegal mining activities, according to Reuters.

Boksburg is where 41 people died on Christmas Eve when a truck carrying liquefied petroleum gas exploded after becoming stuck under a bridge, the AP reported.