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Two more people have been confirmed dead after a four-storey temple collapsed in Redcliffe, Verulam.
- Two more people have been confirmed dead after a four-storey temple collapsed in Redcliffe, Verulam.
- Eleven people were rescued and taken to various hospitals after the incident on Friday.
- Preliminary reports indicate the structure had no approved building plans, according to the eThekwini municipality.
The death toll from the collapse of a four-storey temple building in Redcliffe, Verulam, has risen to three after two more bodies were recovered from the rubble on Saturday.
The first body was recovered shortly after the collapse on Friday.
Firefighters and search-and-rescue teams from private companies, the eThekwini Municipality, and KwaZulu-Natal Disaster Management retrieved two additional bodies during continued operations on Saturday.
Eleven people - two women and nine men were rescued on Friday and transported to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.
The structure collapsed at approximately 12:40 on Friday, prompting the immediate deployment of emergency services.
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Rescue teams worked throughout the night amid fears that more people could still be trapped beneath the debris.
eThekwini municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said: “The search continues for possible further entrapments,” and added that more resources were being arranged to strengthen extrication efforts and provide medical support to those affected.
eThekwini mayor Cyril Xaba visited the scene and offered condolences to the families of the victims. He said the municipality would ensure accountability once the cause of the collapse was determined.
“Consequence management will be implemented if the investigation reveals that some laws were flouted,” Xaba said.
Although the cause of the collapse remains under investigation, the municipality said preliminary findings suggested the building was illegal.
“Initial reports indicate that the structure had no approved building plans,” Sisilana said.
