13 killed, 16 injured in church collapse incident
Syngossip news
Thirteen people were killed and 16 injured when part of a church collapsed on worshippers following a violent storm near the eastern South African city of Durban, officials said Friday. The accident happened late Thursday when a brick wall under a makeshift roof collapsed during a service at a Pentecostal church, a converted hangar, in the town of Ndlangubo, north of Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal province. “Such a tragedy. 13 fatalities 16 people treated by paramedics,” tweeted Robert McKenzie, spokesman for Kwa-Zulu Natal province’s emergency services.
Authorities said the incident happened during a Passover service around 1115 pm (2115 GMT) as hundreds of worshippers gathered for the long weekend of Easter services. “The congregants were sleeping in the building after the church service ended just after 10pm,” said provincial police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele. “There was heavy wind and rain and the walls collapsed. The 13 confirmed dead are 12 women and one boy. An inquest docket has been opened and police are still at the scene,” added Mbele. Dozens of local people, dazed by the tragedy, spent hours pacing the ruined interior of the building. “There was no (mobile phone) network so I just ran to the police station and called the police, they responded very quickly and they helped us,” Pastor P.Y. Sibiya told AFP. Zwelihle Dhlamini, who
lost a colleague in the tragedy, told AFP of his shock.
“Right now, I cannot believe what has happened. I still have not recovered from the shock and so are our colleagues. They are still calling me, they are still sending messages as if something is going to change.”
Thirteen people were killed and 16 injured when part of a church collapsed on worshippers following a violent storm near the eastern South African city of Durban, officials said Friday. The accident happened late Thursday when a brick wall under a makeshift roof collapsed during a service at a Pentecostal church, a converted hangar, in the town of Ndlangubo, north of Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal province. “Such a tragedy. 13 fatalities 16 people treated by paramedics,” tweeted Robert McKenzie, spokesman for Kwa-Zulu Natal province’s emergency services.
Authorities said the incident happened during a Passover service around 1115 pm (2115 GMT) as hundreds of worshippers gathered for the long weekend of Easter services. “The congregants were sleeping in the building after the church service ended just after 10pm,” said provincial police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele. “There was heavy wind and rain and the walls collapsed. The 13 confirmed dead are 12 women and one boy. An inquest docket has been opened and police are still at the scene,” added Mbele. Dozens of local people, dazed by the tragedy, spent hours pacing the ruined interior of the building. “There was no (mobile phone) network so I just ran to the police station and called the police, they responded very quickly and they helped us,” Pastor P.Y. Sibiya told AFP. Zwelihle Dhlamini, who
lost a colleague in the tragedy, told AFP of his shock.
“Right now, I cannot believe what has happened. I still have not recovered from the shock and so are our colleagues. They are still calling me, they are still sending messages as if something is going to change.”
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