The death toll from the May 24 collapse of a nine-story condotel in Angeles City, Pampanga has climbed to 20 after rescuers recovered seven more bodies from the rubble, the Bureau of Fire Protection Central Luzon said Tuesday.
The additional fatalities were retrieved from the collapsed structure in Barangay Balibago between Monday night and Tuesday afternoon as search, rescue and retrieval operations continued.
According to the BFP, the first of the seven bodies was recovered at 11:20 p.m. Monday. Two more were retrieved early Tuesday at 1:56 a.m. and 2:07 a.m., followed by another at 4:08 a.m.
Three more bodies were later recovered in the afternoon, one at 1:13 p.m., another at 1:17 p.m., and the seventh at 1:19 p.m.
“Operations continue as responders carefully clear debris and expand access within the collapse site,” BFP Central Luzon said.
Before the last three bodies were recovered, the Angeles City Information Office said around three people were still unaccounted for.
Despite the latest recoveries, BFP Central Luzon said search, rescue and retrieval operations were still ongoing as of 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The agency said responders from different government agencies and local government units remained under a unified command to maximize manpower, equipment, and technical expertise at the collapse site.
“Different agencies. Different local government units. One operational objective,” BFP Central Luzon said.
“Under Unified Command, personnel from various organizations continue to coordinate resources, expertise, and manpower in support of ongoing search, rescue, and retrieval operations at the collapse site,” it added.