At least 16 people, including three children, have been killed in a South African slum after being poisoned in a gas leak, a government official said.
Gauteng Province Premier Panyaza Lesufi told reporters at the scene that investigations were underway to identify the specific gas involved in the accident.
Some media outlets earlier reported that 24 people had initially died.
Lesufi and the local media did not provide explicit details on the cause of the leak. However, some sources suggested a potential connection between gas and illegal mining activities.
Clad in hazmat suits, forensic workers, accompanied by the police, were seen searching the area.
Lesufi said that the bodies of the victims were scattered throughout the area, with the youngest among them being just one year old.
“It’s painful, emotionally draining and tragic,” the premier said.