Rescuers clawed through the wreckage of a collapsed nine-story building Sunday after hearing cries and voices from beneath the rubble, raising hopes that survivors remain alive even as authorities raced against time to reach them.
The building, which had been under construction for more than two years, suddenly collapsed at around 3 a.m. in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City, Pampanga, sending thousands of tons of concrete, steel and scaffolding crashing onto surrounding properties and trapping workers underneath.
Mayor Carmelo “Jon” Lazatin II said emergency crews repeatedly detected signs of life from within the debris field.
“The most important thing right now is saving lives. Everyone who can help is coordinating with us just to speed up these rescue operations,” Lazatin said.
The Bureau of Fire Protection likewise confirmed that rescuers heard cries from below during their initial assessment of the site.
The collapse heavily damaged two nearby hotels, forcing evacuations and injuring several occupants.
Fatality
One person with disability (PWD) was reported dead, while at least 26 individuals had been rescued as of press time, including two guests from one of the affected hotels.
Authorities said several others escaped on their own. But rescuers believe many remain trapped.
Based on accounts from engineers, foremen and workers who survived, more than 40 people may have been on or around the construction site when the structure gave way.
Officials estimated that about 30 people remained unaccounted for, although Lazatin stressed that the figures were still being verified because no attendance records were immediately available.
“We rely only on what survivors tell us because there is no logbook or attendance record to confirm exactly who stayed overnight at the site and who went home to their families. The numbers may still change as we verify more details,” he said.
The operation has become a delicate balancing act.
The structure did not simply collapse downward; it toppled sideways, leaving massive concrete slabs and steel beams precariously stacked above voids where survivors could still be trapped.
“If we move too fast or dig without caution, debris could shift and collapse further — endangering both our responders and the people trapped below. We must stabilize everything first before we can go deeper,” Lazatin said.
Workers who escaped provided rescuers with a possible breakthrough.
Listening devices
Several laborers were believed to have been resting on the first floor near the septic tank area when the collapse occurred. Because the building fell sideways, authorities believe that the section may have shifted rather than being directly crushed.
Two trapped construction workers have already been pulled out alive.
More than 440 personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection, police, military, disaster response units and volunteer organizations have been deployed.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) sent heavy equipment, rescue dogs, listening devices and heartbeat detectors to aid the search.
“We also deployed life monitors, listening devices and also our rescue spreaders to help the rescuers since many debris need to be cut and lifted to locate people,” MMDA general manager Nicolas Torre III said.
“There are big chunks of concrete, and we need equipment to lift them up. That is what’s challenging for the rescue right now,” City Information Officer Jay Pelayo added.
As rescue operations continued into the night, investigators began examining what caused the collapse.
Speculations
Social media users circulated Google Maps Street View images showing columns that some engineers and commentators claimed appeared undersized for a structure reportedly designed with roof decks and a swimming pool.
Authorities cautioned against speculation, saying structural engineers would determine whether design flaws, construction practices, or other factors caused the disaster.
