Rescue teams used thermal scanning equipment on Monday at the site of the collapsed nine-storey condotel in Angeles City, Pampanga, as authorities continued searching for 17 people still missing beneath the rubble.
The latest search effort marked a new phase in the operation after officials earlier confirmed that four people had died in the collapse of the structure under construction in Barangay Balibago.
Angeles City information chief Jose “Jay” Pelayo IV said operations were temporarily paused to allow responders to conduct thermal scanning and check for possible signs of life under the debris.
Authorities were still awaiting the results of the scan.
Pelayo said responders would only shift from search and rescue to retrieval and clearing operations once all life-saving options had been exhausted, including thermal scanning, the possible use of K-9 units and the recommendation of the incident command system.
“Once we see no signs of life, and with the recommendation of the incident command system, that’s when we will proceed with the retrieval and clearing operation,” Pelayo said.
Authorities said 17 people remained missing or trapped, although Pelayo said the figure could still change as officials continue validating reports from the site engineer and other sources.
The death toll rose to four after rescuers recovered three more victims from the rubble on Monday.
Pelayo said one of the victims, identified only as Mark Lawrence, was found alive early Monday. Rescuers were able to insert an IV line while trying to save him, but he later died.
“Maybe his body just couldn’t handle it anymore, and he passed away,” Pelayo said.
Another fatality was recovered at around 7:20 a.m., while the Bureau of Fire Protection in Central Luzon later confirmed the retrieval of another victim from the site.
“Rescuers have retrieved another victim from the collapsed nine-storey structure in Balibago, Angeles City, bringing the total number of casualties to four,” the BFP Central Luzon said in a social media post.
The latest fatalities included two construction workers and one unidentified male. They were in addition to a Malaysian national who died after being trapped in a nearby apartelle. His body was recovered on Sunday.
“As of today, we have four casualties, the Malaysian yesterday, then the two construction workers, both males, and then an unidentified male,” Pelayo said.
Rescue teams continued working under dangerous conditions, including extreme heat, live electrical wires, unstable debris and the risk of further movement in the collapsed structure.
Authorities said the search would continue while responders assess whether anyone remains alive under the rubble.