Paramedic Finds, Speaks To Father Trapped Beneath Rubble In KZN Temple Collapse ‘Both My Legs Are Broken’

What began as an emergency call-out ended in unimaginable heartbreak when a first responder arrived at a temple collapse in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal, and realised the trapped victim was his own father.

Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) Operations Manager and paramedic Devan Perumal was the first to arrive at the Cave Temple structural collapse at River Range Ranch in Redcliffe on Friday, 12 December 2025 — just three minutes after receiving the call for urgent assistance.

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As he scanned the devastation caused by the collapsed four-storey structure, Perumal noticed a white Fiat Uno crushed beneath the rubble. It belonged to his father, Jayseelan “Jayce” Perumal.

At that moment, he did not yet know that his father, a self-employed electrician, had been working on electrical installations for an extension at the site.

Father and Son Speak Beneath the Rubble

Desperately searching through the debris, Devan Perumal called out his father’s name. To his shock, Jayce responded.

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For nearly an hour, father and son spoke while rescue teams worked around them. Jayce told his son that he was pinned down by concrete pillars and that both his legs were broken.

The conversation continued until communication was suddenly lost.

Despite the overwhelming personal trauma, Devan Perumal remained on duty and stayed at the scene for three days as rescue and recovery efforts continued.

Five Lives Lost as Rescue Efforts Continue

Families and friends of the victims arrived at the scene shortly after the collapse, showing reaction officers images and voice notes from loved ones who had been communicating while trapped beneath the rubble.

Reaction officers initially located eight people near the collapsed structure and rushed them to a local hospital. Five victims were freed by rescue technicians hours later.

Four bodies were recovered on Saturday, 13 December 2025. Jayce Perumal, aged 59, was the fifth victim recovered on Sunday morning. His colleagues were present to support Devan when he was called in to identify his father’s body at approximately 11:30.

Rescue teams from both private and government organisations remain on site as search operations continue.

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