Tshwane trench collapse leaves one worker dead and 3 others injured
The incident occurred last week where a five-metre-deep trench collapsed on four workers in Ekangala killing one person and injuring three others.
Tshwane Emergency Services. Picture: TshwaneEmergencyServices/Facebook
JOHANNESBURG - Another trench collapse in Tshwane has left one worker dead and three others injured.
In a statement issued on Monday afternoon, the city’s Emergency Services Department says this is the third such incident since 2021 – and it’s raising concerns about safety at excavation sites.
The incident occurred last week where a five-metre-deep trench collapsed on four workers in Ekangala killing one person and injuring three others.
Emergency services were called to the scene near the R568 road just before 5pm.
Firefighters from Bronkhorstspruit arrived to find three workers who had escaped with minor injuries being treated on-site before being taken to hospital.
But the fourth worker was trapped underground and died from his injuries.
It’s the latest in a string of incidents.
In August 2023, a trench collapse in Capital Park claimed three lives, and in 2021, another worker was critically injured in Hammanskraal.
The city said contractors must adhere to national safety regulations, including ensuring trenches are properly braced and supervised.