Two die and two airlifted after structural collapse

Two men have sustained fatal injures while another two suffered critical injuries after a wall collapsed onto them at a residence on Adam Tas road in Somerset West.

The three construction workers and their manager were at the wall that was being constructed behind the pool at the private residence, when suddenly the wall collapsed onto them. The manager was crushed beneath the weight of the rubble, while one of the construction workers was pushed into the pool and he may have been drowned as he was pinned down by the weight of the bricks on top of him. The two men died at the scene and nothing more could be done to save their lives.

The other two men had also been crushed by the falling rubble and the Department of Health Provincial Government Emergency Medical Services Structrual Collapse Unit were immediately called to the scene to coordinate the rescue of the two men. The Structural Collapse Team set to work to free the man, meticulously removing the rubble from the area so as to not impact on the patient’s injuries but to free the two men as quickly as they could.

Approximately two hours later the patients were ready for transport and AER24 was called in. A private ambulance service brought the patients to a nearby field where ER5 had landed in wait. The first patient was loaded into the air ambulance and transported through to Mediclinic Vergelegen. After a comprehensive but quick handover of the patient, they booked airborne back to the scene to collect the second patient. Shortly after that the patient was safely on the way to Mediclinic Cape Gate.

Both patients, despite having suffered extensive injuries in the accident, remain in hospital in stable conditions.

- ER24