At least 50 people have been injured after a suspected chemical leak at a factory in Germiston on the East Rand of Gauteng.

Russel Meiring of ER24 said their paramedics arrived on the scene after receiving a report of a gas explosion.

On arrival‚ however‚ it emerged that an apparent chemical leak from a neighbouring factory had forced one business to evacuate its staff.

“Local authorities began to close off the road while emergency services set up a triage area‚” Meiring said.

“Upon assessment‚ paramedics discovered that numerous patients were experiencing difficulty in breathing.”

Meiring said the patients were treated for their injuries and were then transported to various hospitals for further treatment.

ER24 earlier tweeted that about 50 people had been injured. Meiring said that number could grow.

“The exact number of patients is not yet known‚ due to the number of services on scene‚” he said.