Race against time to save construction workers trapped in collapsed building
|Published
With the rescue operation for the construction workers trapped under the rubble expected to last between three to five days following Monday’s deadly George building collapse, officials remained hopeful they would bring more workers out alive.
This is according to Western Cape Chief of Disaster Management Colin Diener, as more than 200 staff were deployed on site to support the search and rescue operation.
Rescuers had to remove rubble carefully by “delayering” through concrete layers, said Diener.
He said they had called through voids in the rubble and on Tuesday morning established that four workers were located at the basement parking area of the construction site.
Another worker had contacted his wife shortly after being trapped and was able to communicate via cellphone.
Diener said after locating the man with the assistance of sniffer dogs, in an attempt to save cellphone battery life and to remain in contact with the worker, times were decided when the man would switch his phone on and off as they made efforts to rescue him.
By Tuesday evening, 42 people were still unaccounted for while the death toll rose to seven. About 33 people had been removed from the rubble and taken to hospitals and medical facilities.
There were 75 construction workers on site on Monday when tragedy struck. The block of apartments under construction suddenly collapsed just after 2pm in a cloud of smoke. During a media briefing, it was confirmed the site belonged to Neo Trend Group Ice Projects.
The luxury apartment site under construction was the Neo Victoria 75 project for which plans were submitted to the municipality in December 2022 and approved in July 2023.
Enquiries to Neo Trend Group Ice Projects were not answered by deadline on Tuesday.
Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi said the collapse of the building served as a sobering reminder of the critical importance of prioritising safety in the workplace.
@capetimessa A race against time to save construction workers trapped under rubble through the lens of our photographer @Ayanda #newsheadlinestoday #newsupdatetoday #georgebuildingcollapse ♬ original sound - Sir Antu
“With the loss of lives and the entrapment of individuals, this incident has sparked a call to action for organisations to re-evaluate their health and safety protocols and practices,” he said.
The department’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) inspectors were on site, Nxesi confirmed.
“In terms of our processes, we will await the official handing over of the site to the department to enable us to proceed with investigations as per section 31 and 32 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). The handing over is normally preceded by the finalisation of rescue and recovery interventions.
“As we reflect on this tragic event, it is imperative to recommit ourselves to the principle that no job is worth risking the safety or lives of employees. Every effort must be made to prevent similar incidents in the future. Redoubling efforts to promote a culture of safety, vigilance, and accountability within organisations is paramount,” Nxesi said.
SAPS spokesperson Christopher Spies said the multidisciplinary search and rescue continued on Tuesday.
“A team of SAPS K9 search and rescue as well as Western Cape Policing and Diving Services members from Cape Town joined various police units already deployed to assist with the search and rescue operation. George police have opened an inquest docket for further police investigation,” said Spies.
The South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) meanwhile said, in the immediate aftermath of such a tragic incident, it would be unfair and insensitive to speculate as to the causes of the incident.
Premier Alan Winde together with provincial and municipal role-players indicated they would remain on the ground.
Cape Times