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Workers trapped as Durban building collapses

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One body has been recovered whilst two others are still trapped under walls that collapsed in a construction site in Jacobs south of Durban. This after a commercial building collapsed and trapped seven workers beneath it.

Emergency services are busy trying remove the other two. The incident happened on Wednesday afternoon when two walls collapsed on two separate trucks.

Emergency services had to use specialised equipment to free the first body.  This has taken about five hours.

The investigators are on scene to ascertain the cause of the accident.

Earlier, emergency services spokesperson Robert Mckenzie says the two-story building that was under construction collapsed. McKinsey says part of the wall fell onto the road and landed on the trailer of a truck.

“Rescuers at the scene say as many as 3 people sustained fatal injuries as a result of the collapse. Paramedics treated five patients one sustained critical injuries while four were in a serious condition. The exact circumstances resulting in this structure collapsing are not known at this stage and authorities are at the scene and investigating.”

Rescue Care spokesperson Gerald Jamieson says Jamieson says so far they have rescued five of the workers.

“On arrival they found that a concrete building has collapsed crushing seven workers underneath it. A total of five patients have sustained serious injuries and were stabilised on the scene before being transported to a nearby hospital for the further care that they required. Two of the occupants are unaccounted for and are believed to be beneath the rubble. The search and rescue team and Durban fire department are currently trying to free them from the rubble. The scene is still active and Chamberlain Road has been closed between Quality Street and Bluff Road.”

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