Durban North police have opened an inquest docket following the structural collapse that took place in La Lucia, north of Durban on Monday afternoon.
Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said the incident happened when a team of contractors were renovating a residential property in La Lucia.
“An iron beam that was being installed collapsed with a brick facia onto five of the workers. Responders were able to extricate four of them and treated them for moderate to serious injuries sustained. They were stabilised on the scene before being transported to the hospital by various ambulance services,” Gwala said.
“A further search was conducted amongst the rubble and debris and successfully indicated the location of the fifth victim. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could be done for the victim and he was declared deceased by paramedics on the scene.”
Marshall Security spokesperson Andreas Mathios said the scene was active.
Mathios said that when the paramedics arrived, they found a man, in his late fifties, who had sustained fatal head injuries as a result of the structural collapse.
“The circumstances leading up to the accident are to be investigated by the SAPS, who’ve just arrived on scene.”
“Other workers who were with the man also sustained moderate to serious injuries and were stabilised on scene,” Mathios said.
IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson Paul Herbst said three K9 Search and Rescue dogs had to search the area for any more victims.
He said the injured were treated on scene before being transported to a local hospital for further care.
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Daily News