George building collapse update: Two people dead, 53 still trapped

Two people have died after the collapse of a multistorey building under construction in George in the Western Cape on Monday afternoon. 

In an update at 9pm, the George Municipality said multiple disaster service personnel including police and rescue teams with sniffer dogs were involved in an operation to rescue 53 trapped construction workers.

The building collapsed at 2.09pm and there were 75 construction workers on site at the time of the incident.

“Twenty-two patients have been retrieved and sent to hospitals or medical centres in George. Sadly two of the 22 patients have been declared deceased.” 

The municipality said more than 100 emergency and other personnel were on the site.

Family and friends of the construction workers were being given space to gather at the foyer of the main municipal building and would be assisted by social workers from the departments of social services and correctional services. 

“Our thoughts are with the families and all those affected who continue to wait on word of their loved ones,” George mayor Leon van Wyk said. 

The municipality asked people who wished to provide drinking water or food for the emergency services workers to deliver it to the tent site via Ivy Street at 79 Victoria Street.

TimesLIVE