At least 19 people were injured, six seriously, when a cloud of cooking gas ignited at a beer festival on Saturday at Johannesburg’s German School, police said.
German and Swiss nationals were among the injured, who mostly suffered burns.
Youths were believed to have unsafely opened a gas canister at a concession stand selling German-style grilled sausages.
A cloud of gas formed and ignited into a ball of fire when it reached an open flame, police spokesperson Jenny Naidoo said.
A truck parked behind the grill pushed the ball of flames into the crowd in front of the concession stand. The fire was immediately extinguished.
Several rescue teams arrived at the scene of the explosion and transported the injured to nearby hospitals.
About 20 000 people attended the festival, which is a major annual social event in Johannesburg’s German community. — Sapa-DPA