A grave incident occurred on the Germiston to Johannesburg line when a steel footbridge collapsed between the Jeppestown and George Goch stations, on Wednesday.
What cause Jeppestown footbridge collapse?
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In a statement, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) confirmed two pedestrians were injured, and were promptly taken to a nearby hospital for medical attention.
Following the incident, the embattled state-owned rail agency deployed its technical team comprised of a delegation of PRASA engineers along with senior management members who were tasked with gauging the extent of the damage caused by the collapse.
“An investigation to what led to the collapse of the footbridge will be established,” PRASA noted.
This incident rings alarm bells as it happened shortly after PRASA had reclaimed the line and was in the phase of running test trains.
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The Germiston to Johannesburg line holds significance as it is among the 16 corridors earmarked for reconstruction and recuperation in the ongoing financial year.
The footbridge collapse, hence, poses a setback to the ongoing efforts aimed at revamping the infrastructure.
The collapse not only highlights the urgency of infrastructural fortification but also raises concerns over the safety of pedestrians and commuters alike.
As the technical team and senior management from PRASA meticulously assess the site, the focus is twofold: to ascertain the cause of the collapse and to expedite the recovery process ensuring the safety and functionality of the infrastructure.
The injured pedestrians’ condition and the findings of the ongoing investigation were unknown when this article was published.