Written By Adelle Jensen and Gabrielle Berkowitz
It has been almost three years since the tragic events of Christmas Eve 2022, when a tanker transporting approximately 60,000 litres of liquefied petroleum gas (“LPG”) became lodged beneath a low-lying railway bridge in Boksburg.
As widely reported, the tanker became stuck under the bridge after exceeding the height clearance. The impact is alleged to have damaged a valve, resulting in a gas leak which ultimately escalated into a catastrophic explosion. The consequences were devastating: lives were lost, many people suffered serious injuries, and families and the surrounding communities have been left with long-term physical, emotional, and financial harm.
The Pursuit for Accountability
LHL Attorneys Inc. acts on behalf of plaintiffs in a group action pursuing civil claims arising from the incident. They seek compensation for losses such as, inter alia, property damage, medical expenses, pain and suffering, and loss of support and livelihood. The first summons was issued on behalf of 67 plaintiffs in August 2025 and a second summons was issued in December 2025 on behalf of an additional 22 plaintiffs. Civil claims of this nature are not only about compensation but also provides a mechanism to hold parties accountable where their negligence results in a preventable disaster.
For many affected families and individuals, the consequences of the Boksburg explosion did not end on the day of the incident, with survivors having to navigate long recoveries, medical treatment, and the daily realities of living with scarring, pain, reduced mobility, and the heavy psychological and emotional toll of grief.
Many survivors have also experienced changes in their daily lives – while some have been unable to return to work, others have had to adapt to new living arrangements, reduced income and increased caregiving responsibilities. The lingering reminders of devastating injuries, the memories of frantic rescue efforts, and the cordoned-off area leading to the bridge that still stands exactly as it did after the explosions, continue to haunt the community.
Allegations of Corporate and Municipal Negligence
Transporting LPG is inherently hazardous and typically requires robust safety controls, including route planning and the use of approved routes. In this instance, the plaintiffs allege that the driver became lost and deviated from his authorised route. While attempting to navigate back to the approved route, he encountered the low-lying bridge on Hospital Road in the suburb of Plantation, Boksburg.
It is alleged that Infinite Fleet Transport (Pty) Ltd, the company responsible for transporting the LPG, failed to implement adequate monitoring and guidance systems to redirect the driver onto a safe, approved route, thereby preventing the tanker from entering a residential area or attempting to pass beneath the low railway bridge. Innovative Staffing Solutions (Pty) Ltd, the company that supplied and trained the driver, is alleged to have failed in its duty to ensure that the driver was properly trained to transport hazardous materials such as LPG and to navigate high-risk cargo safely.
Lastly, the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality is alleged to have been negligent in failing to provide compliant and visible road signage around the bridge, and in the performance of its emergency services, including allegations that basic emergency protocols, such as evacuating people from the danger zone before the first explosion, were not adequately implemented.
It is alleged that each of these parties acted, or failed to act, in breach of their duties, and subsequent efforts to contain the unfolding disaster were, in the circumstances, insufficient to prevent the harm that followed.
The plaintiffs claim there were inadequate advance warnings, no compliant height-restriction signage, no hazard warnings, and no alternative route guidance, leaving road users without critical information needed to avoid the low-lying bridge.
Despite the developing danger, curious bystanders and passers-by were permitted to remain in close proximity to the tanker, contrary to the international best practice suggested evacuation radius of at least 2,200 metres for a load of 60,000 litres of LPG, with a minimum evacuation distance of between 1,149 and 1,435 metres from the source of the LPG.
Once the truck became lodged under the bridge, it is alleged that the driver contacted Innovative Staffing Solutions, which in turn attempted repeatedly to contact the City of Ekurhuleni’s emergency services, particularly the fire department, but was largely unsuccessful. It was only later that contact was finally established, and further time passed before the first fire service personnel and equipment arrived on the scene.
While the firefighters worked to douse the fire, the driver and private security personnel attempted to move bystanders away from the immediate area. However, it is alleged that effective evacuation could not be carried out safely without the prompt support by the City of Ekurhuleni’s officials.
Considering the contributing circumstances and the way the incident unfolded, the plaintiffs allege that the tragedy was foreseeable and preventable. Survivors now seek justice not only for their personal losses, but also to expose the alleged systemic failures that allowed this disaster to unfold, including inadequate municipal and corporate oversight, delayed emergency response, and the poor handling of a hazardous LPG load. For many, justice goes beyond compensation – it is about accountability, and the hope that these alleged failures will be addressed so that no community is placed in similar danger again.
LHL Attorneys Inc. remains committed to standing beside the survivors, ensuring their stories are heard, and their rights pursued. As we honour the lives lost, and the many others forever changed, we do so with deep respect for the families who continue to carry the weight of that day.
Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
