One man dead and another injured after explosion at old military site

A man has died while another sustained injuries in an explosion in Avalon, Mpumalanga, at a site suspected to be an old military facility on Sunday.

According to police, the two men seem to have been trying to get copper from what is believed to be a mortar bomb. 

Police spokesperson Col Donald Mdhluli said the mortar exploded, killing a 40-year-old man and seriously injuring another man, 44.

“Emergency services personnel were dispatched and the injured man was transported to a nearby hospital,” Mdhluli said.

An inquest investigation is under way and part of that probe will be to get clarity on what drew the two men to that vicinity.

Acting Mpumalanga police commissioner Maj-Gen Zeph Mkhwanazi has cautioned members of the public not to approach or handle suspicious objects as this could put their lives in danger.

“Safety remains our priority as we conduct our investigation. We urge parents to warn children about the dangers of objects they may find laying somewhere. Members of the public should immediately report any suspicious object to the authorities.”

TimesLIVE