Tragedy struck at a construction site along Booysens Road Reserve in Ormonde, Johannesburg South, when the first-floor slab of a building under construction collapsed, leaving 12 people inside at the time of the incident.

Southern Courier reports emergency services responded immediately, confirming that four people have died and five remain missing. Three others are trapped, with one audible and communicating with rescuers. Another is receiving medical attention for serious injuries, including a possible leg amputation due to the weight of the collapsed slab.

Rescue operation underway

City of Johannesburg public safety MMC Dr Mgcini Tshwaku provided details of the rescue operation, highlighting the complexity of the incident.

“Twelve people were inside the building. We have four fatalities, five missing and three trapped. One can be heard talking. Another has a leg trapped under the slab, and a surgeon is on site to advise us. Rescue teams are working carefully to reach those trapped under the debris,” he said.

Plans and approvals under review

Tshwaku explained that authorities are reviewing the building drawings and approvals to determine whether proper construction protocols were followed.

“The first step is to gather all the drawings and check whether they were approved by the city. Slab drawings are particularly critical. These plans must detail the concrete strength and the thickness of the reinforcement wire, and calculations must be done using specialised software to ensure the slab’s stability,” he said.

He added that the engineer responsible for signing off on the plans will also be investigated.

“If the engineer’s calculations are incorrect, both the company owner and the engineer can be held accountable. The engineer must be registered with the relevant professional body and approved to sign off on such drawings.”

Rescue teams continue to work under challenging conditions.

“Two people remain trapped under debris, one on top of another. One of them has a leg pinned under the collapsed slab, and medical teams are assessing whether amputation may be necessary,” Tshwaku confirmed.

Authorities have cordoned off the area while search and recovery efforts continue. Residents and motorists are urged to avoid the site to allow emergency personnel to carry out their work safely.

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