Four children were killed and one is in critical condition in hospital after a panel from a highlight mast fell on them in Soshanguve‚ North of Pretoria‚ on Saturday afternoon.

According to police‚ the five children were playing under the highlight when the panel‚ housing the lights‚ came crushing down on them.

Three were killed instantly and one was certified dead on arrival at the Dr George Mukhari hospital in Ga-rankuwa.

Captain Samuel Sebola said the highlight (Apollo) mast was situated near the gate of house number 43 in Block X.

“While playing‚ the Apollo panel of the lights fell on top of them and three of them died on the scene. Two of the children were taken to hospital by ambulance where one was certified dead on arrival‚” he said.

An eyewitness on the scene has told of a horror scene‚ with bodies strewn around the highlight mast.

“It was a devastating sight. The little bodies are covered (by paramedics) in a shiny sheet‚ indicating that the children are all dead. They died a horrifying death. They were just being kids‚ running around the highlight mast. Then the next thing the panel just came down‚” eyewitness Joe Seoketsa said.