Man caught in trench dies
A man in his early 60s was killed by falling rocks while working in a trench in Norman Road, Illiondale, Edenvale, on the afternoon of June 15.
In a statement released by Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) district manager media liaison officer William Ntladi said rescuers promptly responded to the scene after receiving a call via the Disaster and Emergency Services call centre. However, upon arrival, a scene assessment was conducted and the body of a male construction worker trapped under the huge rocks in the trench was identified.
Ntladi explained: “Rescue operations commenced immediately until midnight and had to be suspended due to safety reasons. Safety precautions were put in place overnight until the following day in safeguarding the body and the scene in general. Rescue and recovery operations resumed again on Saturday morning and worked until the evening without success.”
Massive rocks on the terrain and the depth of the trench made it difficult for the rescue team to get access to the body and recover it from the trench of about six metres deep.
Ntladi added that the operation had to be suspended until Sunday morning when it resumed again. Through perseverance, the rescuers made their way to the body under extremely dangerous conditions. The body was brought to the top of the trench at exactly 5:58pm on Sunday.
The family, who happened to be on site, were given the opportunity to view the body before it was taken away by forensic pathologist services to the appropriate facility.
