Soweto Power Park metal thief dies, another's arm amputated

A man was killed in a building which partially collapsed in Power Park, Soweto, on Wednesday, Johannesburg emergency management services said.

MAN DIES IN SOWETO BUILDING COLLAPSE

A man was killed in a building which partially collapsed in Power Park, Soweto, on Wednesday, Johannesburg emergency management services said.

"The man's body is still under rubble," spokeswoman Nana Radebe said just before midnight.

She said another person was trapped and pinned to the ground by a beam over his hand. He was conscious and communicating with rescue workers.

The urban search and rescue team had stabilised the structure of the building.

"They are now removing the metals, beams and concrete to be able to assist him."

She said the rescue team would continue the work until the man was removed.

Earlier, Radebe said paramedics received a call from an injured man who claimed to have been part of a group who were allegedly trying to steal cables and metal from the building.

Four people were rescued earlier from the rubble..

"We are not ruling out the possibility that there are more people underneath there," she said at the time.

SOWETO MAN'S ARM AMPUTATED IN RESCUE - Sapa

A man's arm was amputated before he was rescued on Thursday morning from a building which collapsed in Power Park, Soweto, Johannesburg emergency management services said.

"The man was taken out after 3am, and it was difficult for the trauma doctors to access him so we had to gain access from under the site," she said.

"His arm was amputated while he was still trapped because we could not move the building from his hand, because it could destabilise the area and cause a secondary collapse."

He was pinned to the ground by a beam on his hand. The rescue team had to remove metals, beams, and concrete to help him. He was taken to hospital in a stable but critical condition, she said.

This brought the number of people rescued to five. One person died after the building, an old power station behind the Orlando towers, collapsed on Wednesday.

"So far we have no confirmation of any other person being trapped," Radebe said.

Operations to stabilise the building would resume shortly before 10am using specialised equipment.

On Wednesday, Radebe said paramedics received a call from an injured man who claimed to have been part of a group allegedly trying to steal cables and metal from the building.