MANZINI – Engineers who inspected the fatal Bhunu Mall collapse have raised concerns over the construction work, preliminary observations pointing to possible shortcomings by the contractor.
The Bhunu Mall is currently undergoing renovations by J & E Construction (Pty) Ltd, a local building contractor involved in major infrastructure and commercial development projects in Eswatini.
The company has, among other projects, partnered with WBHO on the E2 billion Manzini Mall and transport hub development.
Efforts to obtain comment from the company’s management on the Bhunu Mall project hit a snag. A call was made to the company at 10:09pm, but it was not answered. A text message was also sent to the company seeking comment, but no response had been received by the time of going to press.
The engineers said a concrete structure being built on the second floor appeared to have detached from the existing wall before collapsing about 10 metres onto the ground floor.
The structure landed on the Identity Clothing shop, causing extensive damage and trapping employee Tiyandza Masilela beneath the rubble.
Masilela was retrieved after an operation that lasted about 11 hours and was taken to Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital, where she was certified dead. Four other people were injured in the incident.
During a tour of the scene, engineers found visible signs on the walls which suggested that the concrete structure had detached before tumbling onto the roof of the ground floor, where several shops are located.
The structure formed part of offices within the complex.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the engineers said their preliminary observations raised concerns about the work carried out on the concrete structure attached to the existing building.
They said there appeared to have been shortcomings involving the engineering and construction of the structure. However, they stressed that a full investigation was still required to establish the exact cause of the collapse.
Other parties involved also said investigations were continuing and declined to speculate on the cause of the incident.
The Times of Eswatini made efforts to contact the contractor for comment on the engineers’ observations. The last call was made at 9pm yesterday, but there was no response.
Meanwhile, heavy concrete slabs, steel reinforcement, roofing and other rubble hampered efforts by rescuers to reach Masilela.
The 26-year-old employee was trapped beneath the collapsed west wing of Bhunu Mall on Tuesday.
The search for her started at about 5:30pm and continued throughout the night.
Rescuers eventually located where she was trapped at about 4:20am yesterday.
She was removed from beneath the collapsed structure at about 5am and rushed to hospital, where she was certified dead.
The operation was complicated by the amount and type of debris that had to be cleared before rescuers could safely reach the Identity Clothing shop.
A mini digger and compact backhoe loader were initially used to clear rubble, debris and other fragments that had accumulated following the collapse of the walls and roofing.
The clearing operation began shortly after 7pm and continued until about 4am.
The construction equipment moved the waste towards the south entrance of the mall along Ngwane Street, where tipper trucks were waiting to transport it away.
Debris was spread across the affected area, making it difficult for construction workers, police officers and personnel from the Eswatini National Fire, Rescue and Emergency Service (ENFRES) to move towards the retail outlet.
Responders initially removed lighter material, including corrugated iron sheets and nine-inch bricks, to create an access route.
Access to the shop began improving at about 1am.
However, large concrete slabs remained a major obstacle.
Some of the slabs were about 200mm thick and reinforced with steel bars, making them too heavy for the miniature construction equipment to move easily.
A Tractor-Loader-Backhoe arrived at the scene at about 1am and began moving heavier rubble towards the south entrance.
Inside the clothing outlet, workers used a cutting torch to break the concrete slab into smaller pieces that could be removed.
This further slowed the operation.
During the Times of Eswatini’s vigil at the scene, ENFRES personnel were at times seen standing alongside the collapsed structure while the operation was carried out using heavy machinery and other equipment.
When asked why it had taken so long to retrieve Masilela, ENFRES Public Relations Officer Mandla Dlamini explained that the operation involved several stages.
Dlamini said the search, which began at about 5:30pm, involved assessing the collapsed structure, locating the trapped woman and determining the safest way to reach her.
He said the assessment established that additional heavy equipment, including a crane and Tractor-Loader-Backhoe, was required to safely remove the collapsed material and gain access to Masilela.
The size and extent of the collapsed wall also made it difficult to establish her exact location and determine how rescuers could reach her without triggering a further collapse or exposing themselves to danger, Dlamini said.
He said the search continued throughout the night, with Masilela’s location confirmed at about 4:20am.
Efforts to safely access and retrieve her continued until she was removed from beneath the collapsed structure at about 5am.
Dlamini said collapsed-structure rescue operations could not be measured solely by the time between the arrival of emergency responders and the recovery of a trapped person.
He said such operations involved assessing the scene, locating the trapped person, determining the stability of the structure, identifying suitable equipment and creating a safe access route.
The equipment required could vary considerably depending on the nature, size and configuration of a collapsed structure, he said.
In the Bhunu Mall incident, Dlamini said the assessment established that heavy machinery was necessary to assist with the operation.
He further referred to international experience, saying victims of collapsed structures in some disasters had remained trapped beneath rubble for extended periods before being located and rescued.
This demonstrated the unpredictable nature of such incidents and the importance of conducting rescue operations in a controlled and safe manner, Dlamini said.
He said ENFRES remained committed to responding to emergencies and continuously improving its capacity to deal with complex incidents, including structural collapses.
Dlamini said each incident was assessed according to the circumstances found at the scene, with the safety of both the trapped person and rescuers remaining central throughout the operation.
Meanwhile, Bhunu Mall Partnership has suspended all construction activities at the project site following the fatal collapse.
In a statement issued yesterday, the partnership confirmed the death and expressed condolences to Masilela’s family, friends and colleagues.
The partnership said emergency response protocols were activated immediately after the collapse, bringing emergency medical services, fire services and law enforcement officers to the scene.
The affected section of the development has since been cordoned off and secured to prevent unauthorised access, ensure public safety and preserve the scene for investigations.
Independent structural engineers and safety experts have also been engaged to conduct preliminary assessments of the surrounding structure. The assessment will determine the structural integrity of the affected section and surrounding areas.
“All construction activities at the Bhunu Mall project site have been fully suspended until further notice,” the partnership said.
Bhunu Mall Partnership said it was co-operating with municipal authorities, regulatory bodies and law enforcement agencies as formal investigations got under way.
The investigations are expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse.
The partnership thanked emergency first responders, medical teams and search-and-rescue personnel for their efforts during the operation.
“The safety of store staff, retail occupants and the general public, remains our highest priority,” it said.
The company said further official updates would be issued once verified information became available from the relevant investigating authorities.
It also apologised to tenants, shoppers and members of the public for any inconvenience caused by the incident and suspension of activities at the site.
The Manzini Municipal Council has also confirmed that investigations are under way to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Manzini Municipal Council Chief Executive Officer Lungile Dlamini said it would be premature to comment on the nature or cause of the incident while investigations by the relevant authorities were ongoing.
The municipality said it was working with Bhunu Mall management and other stakeholders, including the contractor, emergency services and regulatory authorities, to support a thorough and transparent investigation.
Construction work at the site has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigations.
“The circumstances surrounding the incident are the subject of investigations by the relevant authorities,” the municipality said.
The council said the safety and well-being of workers and the public remained of paramount importance.
It further called on all parties involved in construction activities within the city to comply fully with applicable construction, health and safety regulations.
The municipality extended its condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased.
“On behalf of the mayor, councillors and municipality management, we extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased during this difficult time,” the statement said.
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