Rescue teams were racing against time Sunday morning to locate as many as 30 to 40 people feared trapped after a nine-story building under construction collapsed along Teodoro Street in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City.
Jay Pelayo, head of the Angeles City Information Office, said the Angeles City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (ACDRRMO) received the report of the collapse at around 3 am.
Based on the ACDRRMO’s 6 am report, eight people were immediately rescued from the area with minor abrasions and other injuries. The project foreman and around 10 other workers also managed to get out of the collapsed structure and were placed under the care of the local government.
“All of them are in stable condition,” Pelayo said in a radio interview.
However, Pelayo said authorities were still verifying the foreman’s account that around 30 to 40 people, believed to be construction workers, remained trapped inside the building.
“What we are worried about now is the report from the foreman that there are about 30 to 40 trapped inside the building under construction,” Pelayo said.
The building, described as a proposed nine-story concrete structure, was already near its final floor and was also expected to have a rooftop before it collapsed.
A 51-year-old Malaysian tourist was also rescued after part of the collapsed structure hit a nearby building and trapped the tourist inside a room. Authorities later briefed the rescued foreign national, Pelayo said.
A unified command system has been activated for the emergency response, with the Bureau of Fire Protection leading the search and rescue operations. The ACDRRMO is handling emergency medical services, logistics and administration, while the Philippine National Police is providing security in the area.
Pelayo said the operation remains difficult because rescuers are dealing with heavy concrete and steel materials from the collapsed structure. He added that nearby local government units and agencies have also offered assistance.
Authorities appealed to residents and bystanders in the area to cooperate with responders and avoid entering the restricted zone, citing safety risks from debris and damaged utility lines.
Pelayo said it was still too early to determine whether the collapse was linked to the heavy rain and strong winds experienced in the area before the incident.
“It is too early to speculate on what caused the collapse,” he said, adding that the city engineer’s office was already checking the history of the construction project, including its permits and engineering details.
Barangay Balibago, once largely residential, is now also considered a commercial area amid Angeles City’s rapid urbanization.
Search and rescue operations were ongoing as authorities expressed hope that those still trapped would be found alive.