A harrowing incident unfolded in South Africa’s coastal city of George on Monday as a multi-storey building under construction collapsed, trapping approximately 48 workers beneath the rubble.
The city hall reported that at the time of the collapse, there were a total of 70 individuals present at the construction site, with 22 individuals already transported to hospitals for treatment, according to a city spokeswoman.
Mario Ferreira, representing the charity Gift of the Givers, which is providing assistance at the site, informed AFP that rescue workers had established communication with some of the individuals trapped beneath the debris.
Despite the ongoing rescue efforts, the cause of the collapse, which occurred during the early afternoon, remains unclear.
Photographs shared by the municipality depict a devastating scene of a flattened construction site, with numerous rescue services working tirelessly amidst the rubble.
While several individuals have been extricated from the wreckage with serious injuries, there have thankfully been no reported fatalities as of yet, as confirmed by Ferreira.
Rescue operations have persisted well into the evening at the site, as emergency responders work tirelessly to locate and rescue any remaining individuals trapped beneath the rubble.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting the inherent dangers faced by construction workers and underscoring the importance of stringent safety protocols in such endeavors.
