At least three students are dead after a walkway collapsed at a school outside Johannesburg, a South African official said on Friday, and 23 were injured.

Panyaza Lesufi, the head of education for Gauteng province, gave details of the incident on Twitter shortly after the collapse at Hoërskool Driehoek high school in Vanderbijlpark.

Two boys and a girl were killed, Lesufi said.

“It is painful to see those tiny bodies in that state,” he said.

Tragedy: Moments ago a walkway collapsed at Höerskool Driehoek, Sedibeng Region. Sadly 💔 three (3) learners died on the scene and scores are still trapped in the rubble. I am on my way to the scene. #HöerskoolDriehook — Panyaza Lesufi (@Lesufi) February 1, 2019

The school has been closed.

Lesufi had reported “scores” trapped but an Associated Press witness later said no one remained in the rubble.

It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse. Local media posted photos of a large slab and scattered bricks with the scene blocked off by emergency tape.

Emergency services provider Netcare911 said at least five people were critically injured.





South Africa’s department of education extended condolences to the families of the students killed.

AfriForum, a civil society organisation that represents Afrikaners, urged people to avoid the area so as not to interfere with the work of emergency responders.