- According to the South Africa Medical Association, Tambo Memorial Hospital patients were transferred to public and private healthcare facilities for treatment.
- This happened after a fatal explosion damaged several areas of Tambo Memorial Hospital.
- A vehicle transporting fuel caught fire near Boksburg, killing nine people and injuring many more.
Patients affected by a gas explosion were transferred from the emergency room at Tambo Memorial Hospital to public and private healthcare facilities for treatment, according to the South African Medical Association (Sama).
The action was taken after a truck tanker transporting gas caught fire in Boksburg on Saturday morning, killing nine people and wounding many more. About 100 meters from the hospital, the truck tanker grazed the top of its roof while passing under a low-lying bridge, which caused it to catch fire.
Dr. Mvuyisi Mzukwa, a spokeswoman for Sama, told AMC that Tambo Memorial Hospital had to transfer patients because it was unable to take on any more.
“Before transporting new patients to other facilities, the doctors simply stabilized them. They requested that additional hospitals receive them immediately out of ambulances, “he stated
We have been informed that patients were transferred to [private] hospitals. This is an emergency, and it has to be attended by public and private hospitals, whoever is closest to the incident.”
Mzukwa said the association had not received reports confirming if any doctors died or sustained injuries due to the explosion.
While the association has not been called on to provide additional help, Mzukwa encouraged off-duty doctors to assist Tambo Memorial Hospital to ensure “no patient dies because colleagues are overwhelmed”.
He said:
We reached out to colleagues to find out if they needed help, and so far, they have come back to say not at this point because the patients were transferred to other facilities and therefore, there was nothing at this stage. I am not sure if things will change, but at this point, they said they are coping well.
Panyaza Lesufi, the premier of Gauteng, told the media from the hospital on Saturday that the truck was going from Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal to Botswana. It was unknown how it got to Boksburg, he claimed.
The truck driver is a member of Innovative Staffing Solutions (ISS), which declared that it has opened an internal investigation into the incident’s circumstances.
“ISS’ internal investigation has already established that the driver is highly experienced, with a professional driving qualification in working at heights and seven years of experience transporting hazardous materials.
“The driver had also recently passed a medical test confirming his fitness to drive,” the company said.