Tragedy struck in the early hours of Sunday when a double-storey house collapsed in Doornkop, Soweto, killing three people, including a one-year-old child.
The City of Johannesburg’s Emergency Services (EMS) reported that six people were inside the building when it gave way, with authorities receiving the emergency call around 3am.
Two women and child die in house collapse
Rescue teams managed to free three individuals trapped in the rubble, who were immediately transported to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital for medical treatment.
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However, despite efforts to save them, two women and a one-year-old child died after sustaining severe injuries.
The cause of the collapse is currently under investigation, with the incident referred to the relevant authorities for further examination.
Watch the video below:
Verulam building collapse
The Soweto incident comes just two weeks after a deadly building collapse in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
On 12 December, a four-storey Hindu temple under construction in Redcliffe, north of Durban, collapsed, trapping workers under debris.
The disaster claimed five lives.
Initial findings suggested that the building in Verulam was constructed illegally, lacking approved building plans.
The South African Police Service (Saps) opened an inquest into the incident.
According to Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson, investigations indicated that the structure collapsed while concrete was being poured.
Macpherson also revealed that video footage suggests that the building came down due to the failure of temporary wet concrete molds.
Concerns have also been raised about poor workmanship and the quality of construction materials used in the project.
Authorities are now seeking to identify both the contractor and the materials supplier responsible for the building.
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