'Delayed treatment' for Tambo hospital patients after tanker tragedy that killed nine people

The Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg is said to have delayed treating patients other than those injured in a gas tanker explosion that killed nine people on Saturday morning.

The hospital took in scores of injured people after the incident, which happened when the tanker got stuck under a railway bridge in Hospital Street. 

According to Jonathan Leaper, who has been in the hospital for a few days, treatment and medication schedules were delayed after the horrific tragedy. 

“We are supposed to get medication at 8am, but we got it at noon. We were having breakfast when the explosion happened, but we have not been fed anything since. Instead, our families are being turned away during visiting hours and we are not sure why. Some want to bring us food, but they can’t,” he told TimesLIVE.

The hospital was in chaos in the morning as the blast affected the emergency unit. Its ceiling collapsed and patients had to be evacuated. Other parts of the facility have been cordoned off for safety reasons. 

While dealing with this, hospital staff had to attend to 40 injured patients.

Ekurhuleni emergency services spokesperson William Ntladi said the death toll in the explosion had increased to nine. This after a victim died in hospital.

“Fifteen people suffered serious injuries, but are stable. Six suffered minor injuries. The hospital is overwhelmed. It is not that it doesn't attend to patients. There are also ambulances set aside for those who need to be transported and admitted at different hospitals. There are arrangements with other hospitals to transport patients” he said.

Among the injured are firefighters who tried to control the blaze before the truck exploded.

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi, who inspected the scene with other provincial officials on Saturday afternoon, said the firefighters were transferred to Glynnwood Hospital in Benoni.

He said one family lost four members in the explosion.

The driver of the tanker is in hospital, while the owner of the company is said to be co-operating with police.

Ntladi said the truck was carrying 60,000 litres of LP gas. According to Lesufi, it was travelling to Botswana from Richards Bay.

“We have been briefed ... that he is a South African ... We didn’t understand how he managed to go through the area we are in now. But the police are dealing with the situation and attending to everything they need to attend to and will provide us with the relevant information,” Lesufi said.

For now, police are investigating an inquest regarding the deaths and damage to property.

Three houses and two vehicles were damaged. 

Gauteng police commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela said it had not yet been established whether the truck driver would be charged with reckless and negligent driving.

“If there is a commission, then a reckless and negligent driving case could be opened. The investigation will decide if he should be charged. As for public and private damage, we need to open a case of malicious damage to property to establish who is responsible. Lastly, there will be an inquest investigation for those who passed on. Pathologists are on site to establish the exact cause of death,” Mawela said.

Meanwhile, all fires have been extinguished and the situation is under control. Ntladi has urged motorists to avoid roads surrounding the area as they remain closed.

TimesLIVE

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