Johannesburg Floor Collapse Kills 6, Traps Others

A concrete floor under construction collapsed in a building in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Monday, killing at least six people and leaving two others trapped under the rubble, with three more missing, emergency services reported.

The incident occurred in the southern suburb of Ormonde, where an upper-level floor gave way and fell onto individuals below, according to Xolile Khumalo, spokesperson for Johannesburg Emergency Management Services. She spoke to reporters at the scene, noting that one person had been successfully rescued amid ongoing search efforts. The building, a two-story structure at Amethyst Business Park, housed 12 workers on the ground floor at the time of the collapse.

Rescue operations faced significant challenges due to the building's instability, with parts of the structure continuing to cave in, Khumalo said. She described the effort as a risky operation for emergency personnel, who were working to account for all those affected. Authorities urged the public to avoid the area to allow rescuers unimpeded access.

Johannesburg public safety official Mgcini Tshwaku confirmed that the collapse took place in a section of the building actively under construction....