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South Africa mall roof collapse traps dozens South Africa mall roof collapse traps dozens
(35 minutes later)
One person has died and about 50 are feared trapped after a roof collapsed at the construction site of a South African shopping mall, paramedics say. Two people have died and about 40 are feared trapped after a roof collapsed at the construction site of a South African shopping mall, paramedics say.
Private ambulance company Netcare 911 said rescue teams were at the site in Tongaat, a town north of Durban. Rescue teams are working in the dark to find those beneath the rubble at the site in Tongaat, north of Durban.
"It is going to be a long operation. It will take time to get to everyone," Netcare 911 spokesperson Chris Botha told the BBC. Crisis Medical, an emergency service provider in Durban, told BBC Focus on Africa that about 30 people had been taken to hospitals in the area.
Officials said those trapped were construction workers.Officials said those trapped were construction workers.
"It was a mall building still under construction; most of those still trapped inside the building were construction workers," police spokeswoman Mandy Govender told the AFP news agency. "It was a mall building still under construction; most of those still trapped inside the building were construction workers," police spokeswoman Mandy Govender told the AFP news agency.
Mr Botha said it was too early to know the cause of the collapse. "Rescue operations are becoming extremely difficult in the dark," Neil Powell, operations director for Crisis Medical, told the BBC World Service radio programme Focus on Africa.
He said a further 29 people had been taken to hospital with serious to critical injuries. Chris Botha, from the private ambulance company Netcare 911, said it was too early to know the cause of the collapse.
"It is going to be a long operation. It will take time to get to everyone," he told the BBC.
The accident happened around 16:30 local time (14:30 GMT), he told the AFP news agency.The accident happened around 16:30 local time (14:30 GMT), he told the AFP news agency.
About 100 rescue workers are at the scene, where cranes are being used to break through the concrete blocks.
Tongaat is a small town about 40km (25 miles) north of Durban surrounded by sugar farms and has a large South African Asian population.Tongaat is a small town about 40km (25 miles) north of Durban surrounded by sugar farms and has a large South African Asian population.
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