Four injured in Doornfontein wall collapse; emergency teams scour rubble

Emergency teams are currently combing through the site of a wall collapse in Doornfontein to determine if anyone remains trapped under the rubble.

The incident occurred earlier on Monday when a minor explosion struck a section of student accommodation. The blast appears to have been localised, affecting only the front portion of the building.

Four people sustained injuries in the blast, including at least one student. While authorities believe all residents of the building are currently accounted for, Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi stated that protocol dictates a full clearance of the site before the scene can be declared safe.

READ: Four injured in Doornfontein student accommodation wall collapse

"Because we are not sure whether there are any other people who might be trapped... our knowledge tells us that we cannot just leave the place with rubble like that," Mulaudzi said. "We need to make sure that we move that rubble so that we can be definitely sure that there are no people trapped. That is where we are now."

Specialised teams remain on-site to conduct safety checks and prevent further structural damage to the residence. The exact cause of the fire that triggered the explosion remains unclear.

Investigators are specifically looking into whether a gas installation contributed to the collapse.

"The extent of damage at the moment—we are told it's a wall—we are not sure whether they had a gas installation in the building," Mulaudzi added. "Our fire safety investigators will conduct that investigation; we'll be able to know whether there is a gas supply in the building."