Cape Town: South African Police Services search and rescue team with the sniffer dogs are currently involved in a rescue operation to retrieve 53 trapped construction workers. The rescue followed the collapse of a multi-storey building under construction in Victoria Street, on May 06, 2024, that also included multiple Disaster Service personnel.
Reportedly, the building collapsed at 2:09 p.m. in the afternoon with the first emergency call that came in at 2:14 p.m.
As per the information shared by Premier of Western Cape – Alan Winde, seventy-five members of construction crew have confirmed on site during the occurrence of incident. Twenty-two patients have been retrieved and sent to the hospitals or medical centres in George.
According to the reports, sadly two patients out of the twenty-two have been declared deceased. The Emergency personnel on their way from the City of Cape Town and Worcester Disaster Services as well as the Western Cape Provincial Disaster Services are expected to appear on site before 12:00 p.m. tonight on May 07, 2024.
At present, more than 100 emergency and other personnel are on the site. Family and friends of the construction workers are also involved in the incident and are being given space to gather at the foyer of the main municipal building and will be assisted by the Department of Social Services and Correctional Services Social Workers.
Executive Mayor Leon Van Wyk expressed his sincere condolences on behalf of George Council and the municipal administration to the family and colleagues of the deceased.
Van Wyk said, “Our thoughts are with the families and all those affected who continue to wait on word of their loved one’s.”
Considerably, an update will be issued around 12:00 a.m. tonight according to the South African Time.
Notably, any member of the public wishes to provide drinking water, Lucozade, wine gums or any food for the emergency services while they are on site. They are kindly urged to deliver to the tent site via Ivy Street at 79 Victoria St. Delplan Consulting it as being manned by Gift of the Givers and Herman Pienaar of LoveGeorge.