Philippine Building Collapse Kills 3, Leaves 17 Missing as Rescuers Detect Signs of Life
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 25
Philippine Building Collapse Kills 3, Leaves 17 Missing as Rescuers Detect Signs of Life
11 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 25
Two victims were pulled from the rubble in Angeles City, raising the death toll from the under-construction building collapse to three, while 17 people remained missing.
Overnight thermal scans detected breathing and heartbeats beneath the debris, and rescuers were still trying to recover another body that had not yet been added to the official toll.
Authorities opened an investigation into the cause of the collapse, with records showing the project was permitted for nine storeys but a swimming pool was being built on an additional 10th floor.
Families of missing workers and nearby vendors said rescue efforts were too slow and information too scarce, as officials also sought the building owner to clarify how many people were on site.
Is this collapse a warning sign of hidden risks within the booming Asia Pacific condotel market?
Beyond one building's collapse, are workers' lives being sacrificed for rapid urban development?
With a city permit for nine floors, how was an illegal tenth floor built without detection?