Cape Town - Three construction workers were found dead on Monday evening in Sandown Road, Sunningdale, after
an accident in which they were
trapped in a trench after a side wall collapsed.
City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said when first responders arrived on the scene, the men were found buried under the sand.
A water main appeared to have burst, filling the trench with water. Pumps were used to remove the water from the trench.
Carelse said: “At 2am on Tuesday, the body of the last of the three adult men was retrieved. The scene was then handed over to SAPS.”
Police spokesperson FC Van Wyk said: “An inquest case was registered at Table View SAPS for investigation.
“According to reports, during the construction three employees aged 22, 40 and 53 were killed when they were busy laying pipes in the trench and the trench then collapsed on top of
them.
“Rescue attempts by their colleagues were unsuccessful.”
Van Wyk said a construction company was busy in the area with the construction of a new road.
Fire and rescue personnel arrived at the scene shortly after the accident and the men were declared dead.
The bodies of the three men were retrieved and taken to the Salt River mortuary.
Construction company Exeo’s spokesperson Wilhelm Meyer said the company had been contracted to do the dualling of a portion of Sandown Road.
This project included the relocation of underground services from their current position to create a service-free corridor between the existing and newly constructed carriageways for a future IRT lane.
Meyer said: “At this stage the
families are being contacted for assistance.
“Our deepest condolences go out to their families and loved ones.
“A full and independent investigation into the incident is under way and a comprehensive report will be submitted to the Department of Labour within the next two weeks.”
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