Engineers are being called in to investigate the second collapse of the ceiling at Somerset Mall on Thursday, which left two people injured.
The City’s Fire and Rescue teams were dispatched to the shopping centre shortly after 9.20am after 50 metres of the ceiling had caved in at Entrance 1, near the Wimpy and Clicks.
Two injured people, a man and a woman, were treated at the scene.
Angry shoppers slammed the mall on social media.
Bridget Nefdt posted on Facebook: “Second time this mall has this type of construction failure. How did this mall pass municipal building inspection?”
In 2018, following a similar incident, a full audit was conducted to determine the cause of the damage to the ceiling bulkhead.
That time, one person was injured and hospitalised.
SKOK: Somerset Mall
Yesterday, Somerset Mall Centre Management’s Wiedaad Adams explained: “Somerset Mall confirms that a part of the ceiling bulkhead collapsed (yesterday morning).
“There is no structural damage to any section of the centre’s roof.
“The relevant consultants and professional team were called immediately and this area has been cordoned off and cleaning has commenced.
“Determining the cause of this incident is our number one priority. Engineers and our professional ceiling consultants are busy with urgent investigations to determine the cause of this partial ceiling collapse.
PROBE: Fifty metres of the ceiling was damaged
“A similar incident occurred on 5 August, 2018, after which a full audit and due diligence was conducted of the affected area, including the surrounding mall ceiling and bulkhead structures.
“As advised by our consultants, remedial action was taken at the time with no
further concerns being identified.
“Urgent investigations are under way as to why this has reoccurred. We would like to assure our customers that the safety and security of all shoppers and tenants is of paramount importance.
“The affected area of the mall has been cordoned off until further notice. However, the rest of the mall is operating and trading as normal.”
Russel Meiring of ER24 says: “Medics assessed several people but found that they had had escaped injury. Two people sustained minor injuries but later declined transportation to hospital,” he said.
Jermaine Carelse of the City’s Fire and Rescue confirmed that 50 metres of the ceiling had been damaged.