A partially decomposed body believed to be that of a 25-year-old man was found trapped between the ceiling and roof tiles of a house in Kwa-Thema, Springs, on Friday.
The body was discovered at a property in Moeketsane Street after neighbours raised the alarm about a foul smell.
City of Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services rescue teams from the Brakpan and Kwa-Thema fire stations were activated after paramedics approached the Brakpan fire station for assistance.
Dems spokesperson William Ntladi said the teams followed the smell when they arrived at the house and discovered the man’s body wedged between the ceiling and metal roof tiles.
The body was brought down using a specialised stretcher and ropes.
Body found in confined space
The position of the body created a difficult recovery operation. Firefighters had to access the confined space between the ceiling and the roof before securing the remains and lowering them to the ground.
The specialised stretcher and ropes were used to remove the body safely and prevent further risk to the rescue teams.
The body was partially decomposed when it was found. The condition of the remains may make identification and determination of the cause of death dependent on forensic and post-mortem examinations.
The police were called to the scene after the recovery. Forensic Pathology Services was also summoned to remove the body to a facility in Springs.
Suspected electrocution not confirmed
It is alleged that the man may have been electrocuted. Side-cutting pliers and a snapped electrical cable were reportedly found next to the body.
The items may form part of the police investigation, but their presence does not by itself establish that electrocution caused the man’s death.
A forensic examination and post-mortem will be needed to determine the cause of death. Investigators may also examine the electrical installation, the cable, the pliers and the position in which the body was found.
Police will need to establish how the man entered the roof space, whether he was alone, when he died and whether any other circumstances contributed to his death.
At the latest update, no conclusion about the cause of death had been announced.
Occupant reportedly unaware
The occupant of the house reportedly told the emergency teams that he was unaware of the situation.
The supplied information does not state whether the occupant was interviewed by police, whether the house showed signs of forced entry or whether the deceased was known to the people living at the property.
Those questions may form part of the investigation as detectives work to establish the circumstances surrounding the death.
The discovery of the body after neighbours noticed a smell means that the timeline of the death may be difficult to determine without forensic evidence. The condition of the remains may also affect the identification process.
Police investigation continues
After the body was recovered, the scene was handed over to the South African Police Service.
Forensic Pathology Services transported the remains to a facility in Springs, where the necessary examination will be conducted.
The post-mortem is expected to assist investigators in determining the cause and approximate timing of death. Police may also use forensic evidence, interviews with neighbours and residents, electrical assessments and any available footage to reconstruct what happened.
The case remains under investigation. No arrests or criminal charges had been announced in the supplied information.
Until the forensic examination is completed, the report of a possible electrocution should be treated as an allegation rather than an established fact.