It wasn’t immediately clear why there was a discrepancy in the death toll.
The incident happened in an informal settlement in the city of Boksburg on the eastern outskirts of Johannesburg, the South African Police Services said on Wednesday. Police said two people were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Emergency services spokesman William Ntladi said the gas leak had stopped and teams were searching a 100-metre (100-yard) radius around the gas cylinder to check for more casualties.