Two killed in temporary bridge collapse

A temporary pedestrian footbridge over the M1 motorway in the Sandton suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa collapsed around 3.40 pm on 14 October, killing two people and injuring others. The structure – described as being made of scaffolding and formwork - was part of a project being undertaken by contractor Murray & Roberts’ Infrastructure & Building business.

Several investigations are underway into the cause of the collapse, including an internal investigation by Murray & Roberts. The M1 was closed for about 24 hours following the incident to attend to the injured, clear debris and gather evidence for the investigations. The cause of the collapse is not yet known.

A statement from Murray & Roberts said, “At this stage, we do not have any information on the cause or causes of the incident. We also do not want to speculate on possible causes. The investigation process must run its course to establish what led to this tragic incident. To achieve this, we are working closely with the various external investigations.

“Our immediate focus remains on providing continued support to the injured and the families of the deceased, and to the investigation process.”

Murray & Roberts has provided counselling for the bereaved and injured and is meeting medical and other expenses. The company could face both criminal and civil legal proceedings as a result of the accident, depending on the outcome of investigations.