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Four boys from Nyanga died after falling into a hole while playing under N2 bridge in Cape Town
Four boys who spent Monday afternoon, 8 February 2021, playing underneath the N2 highway bridge, across Borcherds Quarry Road next to Nyanga, Cape Town, suffocated after the walls of a hole they had been digging next to a bridge collapsed on top of them. Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for the City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service, said, “Four children, all boys, was trapped underneath sand when the hole they played in collapsed on them. The initial emergency call was received at 15h10 and the caller stated only two boys were trapped. Roeland Street Fire Station responded with a motor pump and a dive unit with nine staff in total, Gugulethu responded with a motor pump and five crew and Mitchell’s Plain with a rescue vehicle and two crew. Other agencies that assisted included Metro EMS, Wilderness Search and Rescue K9 Unit, Metro Police K9 Unit and SAPS K9 Unit. Upon arrival of the platoon commander, he was informed that the number is actually three. Later the evening the family of the fourth boy came to the scene and they explained that their son normally plays with the other three boys, whose bodies had been recovered. The search for the fourth boy continued and at 02h21am the following morning, the fourth body was discovered. The walls of the hole had to be shored up in order to prevent further collapse. ‘Digging’ for the bodies had to be done very carefully as not to disturb the integrity of the area. The operation concluded at approximately 04h04am when the scene was handed over to the South African Police Service and all the gear that was used were restored on the appliances. Although this was in essence a body recovery, it required an extensive and meticulous rescue operation with careful planning. “
Source: Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson, City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service |
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