Three children were killed after a walkway collapsed at their school in Vanderbijlpark, south of Johannesburg, an education department official said on Friday.
A spokesman for the Gauteng education department, Steve Mabona, said the collapse claimed the lives of two boys, one girl and 23 others were injured, adding that the cause was still unclear.
An emergency medical service, ER24, said in a statement the victims were aged between 14 and 17.
“ER24 paramedics, along with other services, arrived on the scene to find that a walkway connecting two buildings had collapsed, trapping several patients,” the group said.
Four children had been airlifted to hospital.
“Paramedics assessed the patients and found that three children, aged between 14 and 17, had sustained numerous fatal injuries.
“Nothing could be done for them and they were declared dead,” the group added.
Panyaza Lesufi, an official of Gauteng province’s department of education, also tweeted that three children had died when a walkway collapsed, although his account was unverified.
Local media reported that the Police were investigating the incident and that the school had been closed.
(dpa/NAN)