Rescuers in the Philippines clawed through the wreckage of a collapsed building on Sunday, with 23 people missing and authorities reporting screams heard from under the rubble. The nine-storey structure, under construction for over two years, collapsed around 3:00 am local time in Angeles City, approximately 80 kilometers north of Manila.
Collapse Details and Rescue Efforts
The collapse heavily damaged an adjacent hotel, where two of the 26 rescued individuals had been staying. Maria Leah Sajili, regional spokesperson for the Bureau of Fire Protection, told reporters that rescuers conducting the initial assessment heard someone crying out in pain from under the debris. Nicolas Torre, General Manager of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, confirmed to AFP that rescue equipment and police dogs were being sent to aid the operation. We deployed life monitors, listening devices, and rescue spreaders to help cut and lift debris to locate people, Torre said.
Local police and firefighters reported that 23 people were potentially trapped at the site. More than 12 hours after the collapse, piles of broken poles and debris covered the area as search efforts continued under the hot tropical sun, according to AFP journalists. The rubble was wrapped in green protective plastic sheeting commonly used at construction sites. The cause of the collapse remains under investigation.
Eyewitness Account
Delivery rider James Bernardo, 30, told AFP by telephone that he had just dropped off food on the same street when the disaster occurred. A few seconds later, there was suddenly a loud noise, and when I looked, I realized the building had already collapsed, Bernardo said. Thank God I'm safe. A video clip taken by Bernardo and verified by AFP showed a giant pile of twisted steel beams, power pylons, and concrete slabs blocking the street as witnesses photographed with their phones. In the clip, Bernardo can be heard saying, We thought it was an earthquake, but it turned out it was the building collapsing.
Challenges in Rescue Operations
City information officer Jay Pelayo told AFP that the building's walls and scaffolding had buckled, likely trapping people under a pile of debris. There are big chunks of concrete, and we need equipment to lift them up. That is what's challenging for the rescue right now, Pelayo said. Initial reports from the city government indicated that 24 people had been rescued from the building site, along with two from the adjacent hotel. Interviews to determine the survivors' identities were ongoing, and Pelayo confirmed that those rescued were in stable condition.
