Fifth body found in Redcliffe temple collapse as rescue efforts continue
Five bodies have now been recovered following the collapse of a four-storey temple in Redcliffe, KwaZulu-Natal, where construction activities were underway at the time of the incident.
Image: Leon Lestrade/Independent Media
Five bodies have now been recovered following the collapse of a four-storey temple in Redcliffe, KwaZulu-Natal, where construction activities were underway at the time of the incident. Rescue teams have been working around the clock to recover any remaining victims.
“Search and rescue technicians have recovered a fifth body from the site of a temple disaster in Redcliffe, KwaZulu-Natal, following the collapse of a four-storey structure,” said Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa).
The organisation confirmed that the initial emergency call was received on Friday.
Upon arrival, officers requested the assistance of specialised Search and Rescue teams to coordinate a multi-agency recovery operation.
Operations were temporarily suspended on Saturday due to inclement weather but resumed once conditions improved on Sunday.
Rescue technicians successfully lowered a rescue basket into a cavity within the collapsed structure to retrieve the fifth body.
“Recovery efforts had been temporarily suspended yesterday (Saturday) due to inclement weather conditions but resumed once conditions improved this morning,” Rusa said.
On Saturday, eThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba revisited the collapse site to support emergency teams and affected families.
He confirmed that a multidisciplinary technical team has been appointed to investigate the cause of the collapse and will compile a preliminary report to be released next week.
Xaba urged the public to refrain from speculation. “We urge the public not to speculate about the cause of the incident and to allow the technical team the necessary space to conduct its work.”
The Mayor was accompanied by Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Public Works Martin Meyer, and MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Thulasizwe Buthelezi.
Authorities have assured families that government support will continue throughout the recovery process, while a full investigation will follow once operations at the site are concluded.
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