/ 10 August 1999

FUEL TANKERS EXLODE, INJURING FIVE

FIVE people were injured, two seriously, when a fuel tanker exploded at the Ermelo railway station in Mpumalanga early on Tuesday morning. Two firefighters, two policemen and a civilian were injured. The two firefighters, who both sustained serious injuries, are brothers, police said. Three other people, including two policemen and a civilian, were also injured when the tankers exploded. Sx fuel tankers were found burning on the rails at about 1.15am, and firefighters from the Ermelo fire department were called to the scene. At one stage the water pressure on the fire department’s system went down, hampering attempts to cool down one tanker which overheated and exploded. The explosion pushed the tanker forward for about 50 metres, and the five people were injured.