‘Huge explosion’ rattles east suburb
There were three gas bottles, but luckily, only one had gas in it, which exploded.
Residents of Silverton extension 5, and more specifically Voëltjiedorp, got a fright when “a huge explosion” was heard around 22:50 on Saturday night.
According to the owner of a Bleshoender Street property, Tertia van Wyk, a tenant on the property made a fire on some wooden structure and tiles, not knowing there were gas bottles underneath.
“There were three gas bottles, but luckily, only one had gas in it, which exploded. It was a 3kg bottle,” Van Wyk said.
“The tenant said he wanted to braai, and did not know exactly what happened.
“No one was hurt, but the property suffered some damage.
“I felt the shock wave vibrating through my entire body. Glass windows from houses in the neighbourhood were shattered as well,” Van Wyk said.
Van Wyk said windows were shattered, their electric fence was damaged and there was a hole in a wall. An aluminium door frame was partly blasted out of the wall from the pressure wave that was created.
She said a neighbour assisted in extinguishing the fire, and police also responded.
The explosion could apparently be heard as far as Queenswood, Van Wyk said.
Juan-Lee Olivier, a resident in the next street, said they thought they were under attack.
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