Search and rescue efforts continue in George for a further 39 people who are trapped inside a collapsed multi-story construction site on day 3. Photographer: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers
Rescue efforts are continuing at the collapsed apartment block in Victoria Street where, by early Wednesday morning, 36 patients had been rescued from the building.
Seven deaths have been recorded so far as the rescue operation reached its 46-hour mark at noon on Wednesday.
Currently, 39 of the 75 workers who were on site are still unaccounted for.
Municipality spokespersons Chantel Edwards-Klose and Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe said a multi-disciplinary team remains on the ground for search and rescue efforts.
“Rescue operations continue at the building collapse site on Victoria Street today with a multi-disciplinary rescue team of more than 200 emergency services available,” said Edwards-Klose.
The four-storey apartment building on Victoria Street, adjacent to the municipality building, was under construction when it collapsed in a plume of smoke just after 2pm on Monday with on-site workers and staff inside.
The cause of the collapse is still unknown at this time while independent investigations are expected to get under way as soon as the site is handed over following the search and rescue operations.
The public has been asked to make donations for support to the multi-disciplinary emergency personnel.
“Should any member of the public wish to provide safety goggles, headlamps, clipboards, safety gloves, drinking water, energy drinks, wine gums, or food for the emergency services while they are on-site – kindly deliver to the tent site located at 79 Victoria Street, in front of Delplan Consulting which is being manned by Gift of the Givers and Herman Pienaar of LoveGeorge and will remain operational throughout the rescue period,” said Mangqwengqwe.
Cape Times
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