PORT ELIZABETH - ATTEMPTED MURDER CASE OPENED AFTER MOUNT ROAD POLICE STATION LIFT COLLAPSE

Eastern Cape police have confirmed that a case of attempted murder is under investigation following the collapse of a lift at the Mount Road police station in Port Elizabeth in which four people were seriously injured.

Provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Marinda Mills, said that the case was opened by the Department of Public Works following an inspection of the damaged lift by a private company.

She said it was established that several counter-weights, each weighing more than 70kg's, were missing.

Mills told Algoa FM News that the brackets that kept the weights in place were found on top of the lift.

"A case attempted murder was opened on Thursday by representatives from the Department of Public Works.  This followed after the lift was inspected by an independent company from Johannesburg," Mills said.

"It was found that 14 counter-weights were missing.  Each of the counter-weights weigh about 75 kilograms," Mills said.

She said three of the four people who were injured when the lift plunged four storey's to the ground remain in hospital.  Most suffered broken legs.

It's understood that civil claims may follow.

VIA - algoafm