Rescue teams in Cape Town, South Africa are tirelessly searching for missing construction workers after an apartment complex collapsed. As they enter the second night of their desperate efforts, more survivors have been brought out from the wreckage. The death toll currently stands at seven confirmed fatalities.
Rescuers have successfully saved 26 workers who were trapped in the rubble of a collapsed five-story building in George, South Africa. The incident occurred on Monday during the construction process, with the site located approximately 250 miles east of Cape Town on the south coast. Sadly, there are still 42 individuals who remain buried beneath the concrete and metal scaffolding debris.
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Rescuers expressed optimism about the possibility of finding more survivors after announcing earlier that they had established contact with at least 11 workers who were trapped in the debris and were engaged in ongoing communication with them.
According to city authorities, the number of survivors rescued from the collapsed building remains uncertain. However, on Tuesday, an additional five survivors were successfully brought out, adding to the 21 rescued on Monday. It is important to note that there were originally 75 construction workers present at the site when the building collapsed.
The crowd erupted in cheers as one of the survivors emerged from the depths. They shouted encouraging words, urging him to stay strong as he was carefully lifted out of the debris and placed onto a stretcher. With relief in their voices, they exclaimed, “You’ve made it! You’re finally outside!”
Authorities have not provided any recent updates on the extent of the injuries. However, they did mention in the initial hours following the collapse that a minimum of 11 rescued workers had suffered severe injuries.
Colin Deiner, the head of the provincial Western Cape disaster management services, estimated that the search-and-rescue operation would require a minimum of three days to complete. He further explained that it would take the entire day on Tuesday to rescue the 11 survivors they had already located. Among them were four workers who were trapped in the basement of the building.
According to Deiner, some of the workers were trapped under concrete slabs, unable to move their limbs.
During a news conference, Deiner emphasized the importance of giving the rescue mission ample time to save as many people as possible. He acknowledged the challenges faced by the rescue team, particularly when working in close proximity to individuals while using heavy machinery such as concrete breakers and drillers.
“Our primary concern is the risk of prolonged entrapment, which can result in compression of body parts. It is crucial to provide immediate medical assistance in such situations. Therefore, we promptly dispatched our medical personnel to attend to the injured.”
Deiner mentioned the possibility of additional survivors being trapped further within the wreckage, indicating that efforts to remove layers of concrete would commence in due course.
Over 100 emergency services and other personnel tirelessly worked in shifts at the site. Rescuers made use of sniffer dogs in their efforts to locate the missing workers. Additional support was brought in, including large cranes and heavy lifting equipment. Tall spotlights were also erected to provide illumination for the rescue operation conducted in the darkness.
During the rescue operation, Deiner emphasized the importance of maintaining silence and turning off the machinery. This enabled them to listen keenly for any signs of survivors. It was during this crucial moment that they were able to pinpoint the location of some individuals in need of rescue.
Deiner mentioned that they could actually hear people through the rubble.
Several local hospitals were preparing their trauma units to accommodate a potential influx of survivors. Additionally, over 50 emergency responders from neighboring towns and cities, including a specialized rescue team for collapsed structures, had been mobilized to provide assistance.
The George municipality stated that social workers were providing support to the family and friends of the workers who had gathered at the nearby municipal offices.
Authorities have initiated investigations to determine the cause of the tragedy, and the police have opened a criminal case. However, there is currently no available information regarding the reason behind the building collapse. CCTV footage captured the moment when the concrete structure and metal scaffolding unexpectedly gave way, resulting in a cloud of dust engulfing the surrounding neighborhood.
After the collapse, a wave of people poured out from the surrounding buildings, their voices filled with screams and shouts.
Alan Winde, the premier of the Western Cape province, stated that both the provincial government and the police will conduct investigations.
According to city regulations, the private construction company’s engineers are held accountable for the safety of the building site until its completion. Afterward, the responsibility shifts to the city authorities for inspection and approval.
According to Winde, the main focus at the moment is on the rescue mission, with investigations to follow afterwards.
According to Winde, the main focus of officials currently is on saving lives, as it is their top priority at this stage.
The national government received a briefing on the rescue operation, according to Winde. President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and called for investigations into the cause of the collapse.
