Dramatic moment huge explosion bounces cars off road in Johannesburg narrowly avoiding pedestrians in blast that injured dozens and killed one

• Footage shows road cracking in city’s Central Business District
• Gas provider denies leak is the cause of the sudden blast on Bree Street

An explosion from a so far unknown origin ripped through a street in Johannesburg on Wednesday July 19, killing one person and injuring dozens.

Security CCTV footage from a building nearby shows the moment the explosion happened in the city’s Central Business District, cracking the tarmac and sending minibuses and taxis flying.

The cause of the explosion on Bree Street has not yet been confirmed and officials have warned the public to avoid the area due to safety concerns.

The video shows pedestrians running frantically on pavements following the explosion.

Most vehicles appeared to have been left unable to move as a result of the blast, with one van shown attempting to reverse up the street.

A powerful blast ripped through a street in Johannesburg’s central business district 

The blast left a large crack down the middle of Bree Street as well as a gaping hole in the tarmac

Minibuses were sent flying by the sudden blast, the cause of which is still unknown

Around a dozen people were left injured and one killed by the sudden incident

Some people needed to be rescued after being left trapped in their cars.

The footage shows a large crack down the middle of the road as well as a gaping hole left by the explosion.

Robert Mulaudzi, a spokesperson for Johannesburg Emergency Services (EMS) said at least 11 people were injured in the explosion.

One of those was seriously injured, according to reports.

A disaster management squad is in the area and have cordoned off a 1 km area because of the risk of further explosions.

The buildings are also being assessed for structural damage as a result of the blast.

A gas leak is suspected to be the cause of the sudden incident, with some locals reporting smells in the area. 

The cause of the explosion is still under investigation, but the area’s gas provider denied it was the result of a leak

But Egoli Gas which manages the pipeline under the street, denied the blast was a result of their network and said that investigations had not uncovered any sign of a leak.

It pointed to the fact that its gas pipes run at extremely low pressure to the side of the road, and were left intact when the tarmac split from the centre.

In a tweet, it said: “It is unlikely that the explosion in Johannesbury CBD, Bree Street, was caused by a gas pipeline or leak. 

“Our network has experienced no pressure loss which indicates the gas pipelines are intact. Our customers in the area continue to receive gas uninterrupted.”

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