Two people have been confirmed dead in Durban after an underground pipeline caught fire.
Gatekeepers News reports that the occurrence which broke out in the area at around 3 am Sunday morning forced hundreds of local residents to flee their homes.
It is alleged the deceased were involved in a botched fuel theft attempt leading to a fire outbreak that engulfed business buildings and an informal settlement.
Firefighters, paramedics, police, and metro police responded to the scene and were able to put out the fire.
Local security company Security Force said several people suffered smoke inhalation.
The petroleum company involved known as the Transnet Pipelines National Operations Centre immediately shut down the pipeline and activated the emergency response plan.
The company claimed there has been an unprecedented spate of fuel theft incidents and the associated infrastructure during the last two years.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated by the South African authorities.
