Angeles City Building Collapse Traps Twenty Construction Workers Near Manila
A building under construction in Angeles City, approximately 90km north-west of Manila, collapsed early on Sunday morning, leaving an estimated twenty people trapped. Rescue operations have successfully extricated 24 individuals from the primary site and two from a neighbouring hotel impacted by falling debris. No fatalities have been reported.
The nine-storey structure, still incomplete, gave way around 03:00 local time. Officials are now examining the cause of the collapse. Most of those believed to be trapped are construction workers who were unable to escape the rapidly deteriorating building.
Images from the scene depict a chaotic tangle of scaffolding and concrete spilled across the street, obscured by green safety netting. Jay Pelayo, the city information officer, informed AFP that the building’s walls and surrounding scaffolding buckled, likely engulfing individuals in the debris. Pelayo stated, “There are big chunks of concrete, and we need equipment to lift them up. That is what’s challenging for the rescue right now.”
Reuters confirmed that five people are known to be trapped, with two managing to establish contact with rescue personnel. An eyewitness reported hearing a loud rumbling before the collapse, briefly losing consciousness and waking to find debris covering two streets.
Construction in the Philippines is frequently criticised for deficient planning, project management, and design flaws, according to various research. A previous landfill collapse in Cebu in January resulted in the deaths of eleven waste workers.
