By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A memorial service will be held on Friday in memory of those who perished as a result of the Boksburg explosion on Christmas eve.
The Gauteng Provincial Government together with the City of Ekhuruleni said they would host a joint memorial service to be attended by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi together with the Ekhuruleni Mayor Tania Campbell.
“The memorial is held to reflect on what happened and also honour the lives that were lost, and pray for all those still in hospital.”
The death toll of the catastrophic tanker explosion on Christmas Eve rose to 27 on Thursday. Many more remain in hospital after suffering moderate to serious injuries.
These include at least 13 health staff members who were injured from the blast. Only three are still alive, and in critical condition in hospital.
Two people are also still missing.
Innovative Staffing Solutions (ISS) said: the driver had mistakenly taken the wrong exit to get onto the N17 highway and found himself on Hospital Road.
He immediately tried to correct himself to get back on the route. The exit unfortunately directed him under the bridge.”
But the bridge height restriction boards were illegible.
The driver then stopped to check if the truck and the trailer would fit under the bridge.
“Only when he was comfortable that the truck and trailer would make it under the bridge, he proceeded with caution. However, the driver did not realise that the incline at the bottom of the bridge would raise the back of the trailer.”
The driver heard a metal scraping sound and immediately stopped the truck. He jumped out and checked the front of the truck but no damage was detected.
He proceeded to inspect the back of the truck and noticed that the tanker’s cap had been scraped off. That is when he immediately called the ISS controller and informed them, said the report.
“He immediately took the necessary action to cordon off the scene and to warn the public, motorists, and passer-by traffic to immediately leave the area.”
He managed to stop three vehicles but the others ignored his warning and continued to drive through, the report said.
A security vehicle stopped to help him and safety tape was put behind the tanker. The driver ran to put up safety tape ahead of the truck, ISS said.
The driver noticed that the tape displayed by the security company was not far enough from the back of the truck. He ran to pull it off and move it a few hundred metres further to keep people far away from the tanker.
The driver is reported to have shouted at people to evacuate the scene. He also physically tried to remove the crowd gathering around the crash.
“Two women witnessed his attempts and also tried to assist him,” ISS said.