Africa-Press – South-Africa. Initial cost estimates show that at least R18 million will need to be spent to repair damages to Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg, which was damaged during a truck explosion on Christmas Eve.
During a visit to the hospital on Tuesday, Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements and Infrastructure Development Lebogang Maile said the blast had not resulted in any structural damage to the hospital building.
Maile added that an infrastructure assessment had been carried out after “parts of the hospital shook a bit and we were worried about the structural integrity.”
The infrastructure assessment found that the casualty and emergency unit was affected, as well as the theatre, x-ray, and antenatal wards, said Maile. The damage was limited to roofs, ceilings, windows, and doors.
The explosion did not “cause visible structural damage”, he said.
“There was no fundamental impact on the structure, meaning the structure is still sound. However, there were still several damages,” he said.
The damage to the electrical system had been costed at around R18 million, and included light fittings and wiring, among other issues, said Maile.
He added that “mechanical areas” would require around R250 000 to repair in the affected wards.
Maile said the hospital’s HVAC service had “almost collapsed” and would require around R250 000 to fix.
He added that contractors had already been appointed to attend to the repairs of windows and doors. He added that the hospital is more than 100 years old, and this presented some challenges in carrying out repairs.
On Christmas Eve, a truck transporting liquid gas fuel exploded under a bridge, approximately 100 metres from Tambo Memorial Hospital, causing widespread damage to the hospital’s infrastructure.
The explosion killed 18 people and injured many others.
Among the dead were eight nurses and a driver from the Tambo Memorial Hospital.
Thirty-seven people – 24 patients and 13 staff members – who were near the hospital’s accident and emergency unit at the time of the blast sustained severe burns and were sent to neighbouring hospitals.
On Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa released a statement saying he mourned the loss of life due to the gas tanker truck explosion in Boksburg.
“In this instance, the loss of life is rendered more intense because some of the victims were hospital patients, hospital staff and children, while firefighters are counted among the injured.”
An investigation is under way to establish what caused the tanker, believed to be carrying 60 000 litres of liquified petroleum gas, to explode. Early indications are that the tanker did not fit under the low-lying bridge, became damaged, caught fire, and exploded.
The 32-year-old truck driver was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of culpable homicide.
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
