Emergency crews are racing against time in Johannesburg after a building collapse left six people dead and several others trapped or missing.
Image: Itumeleng English/Independent Newspapers
Six people have died after a building collapsed in Ormonde, Johannesburg, emergency officials said.
Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) spokesperson Xolile Khumalo said rescue crews were called to a structural collapse at the Sixth Amethyst Business Park on Monday afternoon.
One person has been rescued, two remain trapped under the rubble, and three are unaccounted for.
Khumalo said the cause of the collapse is not yet known and authorities have not confirmed the nature of the building.
“At this stage, we do not have information on whether the building was operating as a factory,” she said. “We will have more information once we locate the building owner, whom we have not yet met.”
She confirmed that 12 people were inside the building at the time of the collapse.
“Six have died. Two are still trapped and rescue technicians are continuing with operations. One person has been rescued,” Khumalo said.
She described the operation as complex and dangerous.
“It’s quite intricate because the building itself is not stable. Some parts of the structure are caving in as we speak,” she said. “We are being very cautious to ensure that rescue teams inside are not caught in another collapse.”
Rescue operations were continuing.
*This is a developing story.*
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