Workers are being freed from a collapsed building in George with help from law enforcement and the Gift of the Givers.
Emergency services and police at the site, trying to free trapped workers. (Photo: Supplied)
This building under construction collapsed in George, Western Cape, trapping workers. (Photo: Supplied)
This is the building that collapsed in George, Western Cape. (Photo: Supplied)
Dust billows after the building collapsed. (Photo: Stamhoof Brendon Torob Adams / Facebook)
Just before 2.30pm on Monday, 6 May, the building collapsed. According to the George Herald, chaos erupted as onlookers tried to catch a glimpse of the event. Emergency services have been on scene, trying to rescue trapped workers.
Gift of the Givers teams have been dispatched to the building, which was under construction. The building is privately owned.
According to an update by the George municipality at 6pm, a construction crew of about 70 was on site. Thus far, 22 people have been recovered and sent to hospitals throughout the province.
The scene after this building under construction collapsed in George, Western Cape. (Photo: Supplied)
The debris after a building under construction collapsed in George, Western Cape. Emergency services are at the site, trying to free trapped workers. (Photo: Stamhoof Brendon Torob Adams / Facebook)
The Western Cape provincial government said Premier Alan Winde and his MECs were being briefed on the incident. “All the necessary support has been offered to emergency personnel to expedite their response. At the moment, officials are focused on saving lives. This is our top priority at this stage,” Winde said.
The province would send personnel and emergency response support to assist with operations.
According to the George municipality, 53 emergency personnel are on their way from the City of Cape Town and Worcester Disaster Services. Chief Director of Western Cape Disaster Services Colin Deiner will be on site as soon as possible.
Gift of the Givers’ representative in the Southern Cape Mario Ferreira told Daily Maverick the mood at the scene was “very sombre”. There had been some communication between rescue officials and those still trapped. The humanitarian organizations’ sniffer dogs were headed to the scene to help with operations.
Supplies
George municipality said police, ambulance services and staff from the Garden Route District Municipality were at the scene, which involved ‘multiple’ patients. The municipality has said people wishing to provide supplies such as drinking water, energy drinks and food could deliver, via Ivy Street, at 79 Victoria Street, Delplan Consulting. A municipal worker would be there to collect donations.
The DA’s constituency head in George, MP Mimmy Gondwe, said: “The DA in George would like to thank the emergency personnel for their swift response to this tragic incident and will keep monitoring the situation with a view to offering any form of assistance and support ,”. DM
This is a developing story.
