Mystery explosion rocks Centurion, South Africa

    

Residents from Centurion are baffled by a mysterious explosion that rocked parts of the area during the early hours of Sunday.

Numerous attempts by Rekord to establish exactly what had caused the loud blast, which woke residents from their sleep, proved futile.

Residents from Rooihuiskraal, Wierdapark, Amberfield, The Reeds and other connecting areas all heard the same sound and felt the rumbling.

Some readers speculated that it was yet another ATM bombing, while others believed the tremors had been caused by a light earthquake, but authorities contacted by Rekord could shed no light on the cause or the origin of what sounded to residents like a loud blast.

Vanessa Jacobs, armed response manager for Orange Fox Security, said as soon as information came through about the mysterious explosion, reaction vehicles had immediately been dispatched to various ATM sites in the affected area.

"The reaction officers visited all the areas where residents said they had heard the noise. All of the ATMs were however secure. One of our reaction officers said it might have been what is commonly referred to as a 'cricket' (CO2 cartridge) bomb. Although still unconfirmed, the reaction officer saw a red light go up in the area followed by a loud sound," she said.

Cricket bombs are improvised explosive devices, also known as cartridge bombs or CO2 bombs. They are made by taking empty CO2 canisters (like what might be used to power a BB gun), and filling it with gunpowder or flash powder and attaching a fuse.

The police in Centurion also could shed no light on the blast, and to date, no reports of damage to property or any injuries had been received that could be connected to the early morning hour occurrence.