Death toll from South Africa fuel tanker explosion rises to 26

The death toll from a fuel tanker explosion near Johannesburg in South Africa last weekend has climbed to 26, a local official said on Wednesday, after eight more people died in the previous 48 hours.

"In terms of numbers, the police has now confirmed that we are standing at 26. So we have lost 26 people out of the tragedy," the prime minister of Gauteng province, Panyaza Lesufi, said during a visit to comfort families of the victims.

A truck carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) got stuck under a bridge in Boksburg on Saturday, causing a leak and explosion that initially killed 10 people and badly damaged a nearby hospital.

Eight more people subsequently died from severe burns and other injuries, the health authorities reported on Monday, and eight more died afterwards.

Videos on social media showed a huge fireball emerging from under the bridge, which the tanker appeared to have been too high to go under.

It was carrying 60,000 litres (nearly 16,000 US gallons) of LPG, which is widely used for cooking.