At least seven people have been reported dead after a five-story building under construction collapsed in George, South Africa.Â
The incident, which took place on Monday afternoon near the city center, has left dozens missing, with rescue teams scrambling to find survivors.
On Tuesday, rescue operations managed to extract 34 individuals from the wreckage, while 41 others remain unaccounted for.Â
The rescue operation involves a team of 200 individuals equipped with sniffer dogs, heavy lifting machinery, and manually removing concrete blocks and debris.Â
Rescue workers have established contact with 11 people trapped under the debris. “We are in contact with 11 people,” Colin Deiner, head of rescue operations, announced during a press conference in Cape Town.Â
He revealed that life signs were detected under three distinct sections of the collapsed structure.
Alan Winde, the provincial premier, voiced his concerns at the press briefing, saying, “They’ve been down there for more than 24 hours now, that’s a long time.”Â
Police investigations are underway as they try to determine the cause of the building’s sudden collapse.
Surveillance footage captured the moment the building crumbled at 2:09 PM local time. At that time, 75 construction workers were present at the site. President Cyril Ramaphosa extended his condolences to the bereaved families in response to this tragedy and urged a swift investigation. “Investigations into the cause of the incident must aim to bring closure to the community and prevent a repeat of this disaster,” his statement emphasized.
Medical response teams have reported that 11 of the injured are in critical condition, requiring immediate emergency care as per South Africa’s triage protocols.Â
As per reports, three people need urgent care, while 12 others are in less severe conditions.Â
