Ballito building site collapse claims a life, second man critical

One man died and another was seriously injured in a building site collapse in Ballito shortly before 5pm on Thursday afternoon, reports the North Coast Courier.

According to IPSS Medical Rescue’s Paul Herbst the tragedy occurred when what appeared to be a trench collapsed on four workers at the construction site behind the Ballito Junction.

Rescue teams at the site of the accident.

“Two of the men managed to free themselves, one of whom privately went to hospital,” Herbst said.

Meanwhile, workers at the site began frantically trying to dig the two remaining men out before emergency personnel arrived and joined the rescue effort.

One of the two remaining men trapped in the sand was rescued alive but seriously injured, while the other died at the site of the collapse.

“Paramedics stabalised the critically injured man before he was airlifted to hospital by the Black Eagle/IPSS emergency response helicopter.”

Representatives of Balwin Properties said they would make a statement on Friday.