World

Five dead, dozens trapped in S.Africa building collapse

By AAP Newswire

May 7, 2024

The site of the collapse — Five people are confirmed dead after a building collapsed at a construction site in South Africa. -EPA

Rescuers are searching through the debris of a multi-storey building collapse in the South African city of George that has left at least five people dead and dozens still trapped.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa offered his condolences to the families of the deceased and called for an investigation.

"Investigations into the cause of the incident must aim to bring closure to the community and prevent a repeat of this disaster," Ramaphosa's office said in a statement.

The structure collapse occurred at a building site in the coastal city of George, near Cape Town. (AP PHOTO)

Twenty-six construction workers who were at the site of the unfinished building when it collapsed have been removed from the rubble, while 49 remained unaccounted for, the municipality of George, a coastal city east of Cape Town, said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Three teams of rescue personnel are currently working on three different areas within the site of the collapsed building," it said.

A drone view of the site showed rescue workers removing debris in a bid to reach those still under the rubble.

"We are focusing on the areas... where we have actually been hearing people," Colin Deiner, chief of disaster management for the Western Cape province, told reporters at the scene.

CCTV footage showed a cloud of dust as the building crumbled on Monday afternoon.