Redcliffe building collapse: Reports of two dead, rescuers pull injured from the rubble
Some of the people who were trapped under the rubble have been rescued.
Image: Reaction Unit South Africa
EThekwini Municipality’s emergency services are actively supporting multi-disciplinary teams in a rescue operation following the collapse of a building under construction in Redcliffe, Verulam.
The municipality said in a statement on Friday that one fatality and a few entrapments have been confirmed. The four-storey structural collapse took place onto an existing temple at River Ranch Range in Redcliffe.
However IPSS Medical confirmed to IOL that there had been two fatalities. This figure is yet to be confirmed by the authorities.
It was reported earlier by Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) that eight people were treated on the scene and taken to hospital while others remained trapped under the rubble.
The municipality added that the building under construction had no approved building plans.
“Preliminary reports confirm that no building plans were approved for the structure, rendering it illegal. The Municipality will formally hand the matter over to the Department of Employment and Labour and will continue to cooperate fully with all relevant authorities to provide information that may assist the investigation.
“At this stage, the cause of the collapse remains undetermined and is under investigation. Additional resources are being mobilised to strengthen extrication efforts and provide medical support to those affected. Further updates will be shared as verified information becomes available.”
Meanwhile RUSA confirmed that some of those trapped had been rescued from the rubble of the collapsed building.
“An extensive rescue operation co-ordinated by Disaster Management is underway. The structure collapsed on construction workers and other individuals during a ready-mix (concrete) pouring operation. Several individuals have been rescued. An unconfirmed number of people are still believed to be trapped.”