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Roof Collapses at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital in South Africa

A section of the roof of the fifth floor at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, collapsed on Thursday. (Updated: 23h00) In an update at 16h30, Nane Radebe, Joburg’s Emergency Medical Services spokesperson, tweeted that the Urban Search and Rescue Team were still trying to locate two people trapped in the rubble. Jack Bloom, Gauteng Shadow […]

By SAPeople
03-03-17 08:55
in Eish!

A section of the roof of the fifth floor at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa, collapsed on Thursday. (Updated: 23h00)

In an update at 16h30, Nane Radebe, Joburg’s Emergency Medical Services spokesperson, tweeted that the Urban Search and Rescue Team were still trying to locate two people trapped in the rubble.

Jack Bloom, Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, reported earlier that he had seen the collapsed roof section and hoped “desperately that there are no deaths”. By late Thursday evening, ER24 Emergency Medical Services tweeted that final clearance of the rubble was underway, and that fortunately no fatalities had been reported.

Some of those pulled from the rubble on Thursday afternoon had minor injuries. Deputy Health Minister Dr Gwendoline Ramokgopa reported five injuries by Thursday late afternoon – including two contractors, two patients and one staff member who were trapped by the structural collapse.

An ER24 spokesperson, speaking to eNCA, said several floors of the hospital were evacuated, and other floors were in darkness as power had been cut off for safety reasons.

The cause of the collapse had not yet been ascertained by late afternoonq2. Various authorities were on the scene conducting investigations. Previous media reports show that the fifth floor was identified back in 2012, and again in 2015, as requiring repair.

Bloom said: “Staff have told me that stones were moved onto the section of the roof which collapsed onto the hospital street level.

“Staff at the Hospital have warned in the past of the leaking Hospital roofs and other structural problems in the building.

“The entire hospital must be urgently assessed to ensure it is safe.”

There was apparently construction taking place.

The Department of Health confirmed the incident at the hospital, and said in a statement that: “The collapse took place in the passage near maternity department on the hospital street.”

By nightfall, the Department of Health said five people had been arrested and the contract with the construction company had been terminated with immediate effect.

Bloom tweeted that he had been informed that “parts of the ceiling collapsed last week at the dental clinic at #CharlotteMaxeke” and said the building should be assessed urgently.

Update Friday 3 March 2017:

Thursday 2 March:

https://twitter.com/ER24EMS/status/837354104066297856

https://twitter.com/wervermaak/status/837291954954199041

https://twitter.com/ER24EMS/status/837313448463720448

https://twitter.com/KingArthur_2015/status/837293478627401728

https://twitter.com/ER24EMS/status/837396379643301894