An eight-year-old boy was killed and two other children were injured when a water tank fell on them at Majembeni Primary School in Tonga, Mpumalanga police said on Wednesday.
"The boy died on Tuesday at the scene," said Colonel Leonard Hlathi.
Apparently he was drinking water from the tank with his friends when the tank fell on them.
"The injured school pupils were in a serious but stable condition in Tonga Hospital."
Hlathi said it was unknown how much water the tank had at the time, but it had a capacity to fill up to 5000 litres.
An inquest docket had been opened.
Education spokesman in the province Jasper Zwane said officials were sent to the school to offer counselling, especially to pupils who witnessed the incident.
"We will investigate the circumstances that led to the unfortunate tragedy."
Zwane passed the department's condolences on to the family of the boy and wished those in hospital a speedy recovery.
"We will continue to interact with the affected families."
A Sapa correspondent reported that the mayor for the Nkomazi Local Municipality Thulisile Khoza was saddened by the incident.
"It's very (painful) when your child is sent to school and you get the news that he or she is dead," said municipal spokesman Cyril Ripinga.
School pupil killed in water tank accident
An eight-year-old boy was killed and two other children were injured when a water tank fell on them at Majembeni Primary School in Tonga, Mpumalanga police said on Wednesday.
"The boy died on Tuesday at the scene," said Colonel Leonard Hlathi.
Apparently he was drinking water from the tank with his friends when the tank fell on them.
"The injured school pupils were in a serious but stable condition in Tonga Hospital."
Hlathi said it was unknown how much water the tank had at the time, but it had a capacity to fill up to 5000 litres.
An inquest docket had been opened.
Education spokesman in the province Jasper Zwane said officials were sent to the school to offer counselling, especially to pupils who witnessed the incident.
"We will investigate the circumstances that led to the unfortunate tragedy."
Zwane passed the department's condolences on to the family of the boy and wished those in hospital a speedy recovery.
"We will continue to interact with the affected families."
A Sapa correspondent reported that the mayor for the Nkomazi Local Municipality Thulisile Khoza was saddened by the incident.
"It's very (painful) when your child is sent to school and you get the news that he or she is dead," said municipal spokesman Cyril Ripinga.
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