There was a sombre atmosphere in George on Wednesday morning as exhausted rescue workers and volunteers continued to soldier on hoping to bring some solace to the families of construction workers stuck under a collapsed building.
Since the rescue operations started about 46 hours ago at the site of the Victoria Street building collapse, the George and broader community as well as a multidisciplinary rescue team of more than 200 people have been working tirelessly on site.
Of the 36 workers retrieved by Wednesday morning, seven have been declared dead, 16 are critical, six have life-threatening injuries and seven have minor injuries.
A total of 39 of the initial 75 workers on site remain unaccounted for.
On Wednesday morning the George municipality urged the public to donate various supplies for the rescue efforts and shared details of how to do so.
Items such as safety goggles, headlamps, clipboards, safety gloves, drinking water, energy drinks, wine gums or food for the emergency services can be delivered to the tent at 79 Victoria Street, in front of Delplan Consulting, managed by Gift of the Givers and Herman Pienaar of LoveGeorge.
People can also contact Mario Ferreira from Gift of the Givers on 082-490-2752 or Pienaar on 082-829-6428.
People who wish to assist with safety equipment can deliver it to the Garden Route district municipality fire station in Pearl Road, Tamsui Industria.
People who wish to donate funds can send money to the Relief and Charitable Fund — ABSA Bank Cheque account: 9149554208 Branch Code: 632005.
Western Cape premier Alan Winde thanked all those who had been assisting in the rescue and emergency response.
“From the first responders who have been working tirelessly since Monday afternoon to save the lives of the trapped construction workers, to residents who turned out in their numbers to offer help in any way that they can.
“You all make me as your premier of this extraordinary province humble and grateful for everything you have done and are still doing,” he said.
“Our teams on the ground are working tirelessly to rescue the remaining 39 individuals.
“I cannot express the emotions I felt yesterday when the site would suddenly go completely quiet in the hope that our teams might be close to locating another survivor.”
HeraldLIVE
Call for public to provide support for rescue workers at collapsed George building
Image: WERNER HILLS
There was a sombre atmosphere in George on Wednesday morning as exhausted rescue workers and volunteers continued to soldier on hoping to bring some solace to the families of construction workers stuck under a collapsed building.
Since the rescue operations started about 46 hours ago at the site of the Victoria Street building collapse, the George and broader community as well as a multidisciplinary rescue team of more than 200 people have been working tirelessly on site.
Of the 36 workers retrieved by Wednesday morning, seven have been declared dead, 16 are critical, six have life-threatening injuries and seven have minor injuries.
A total of 39 of the initial 75 workers on site remain unaccounted for.
On Wednesday morning the George municipality urged the public to donate various supplies for the rescue efforts and shared details of how to do so.
Items such as safety goggles, headlamps, clipboards, safety gloves, drinking water, energy drinks, wine gums or food for the emergency services can be delivered to the tent at 79 Victoria Street, in front of Delplan Consulting, managed by Gift of the Givers and Herman Pienaar of LoveGeorge.
People can also contact Mario Ferreira from Gift of the Givers on 082-490-2752 or Pienaar on 082-829-6428.
People who wish to assist with safety equipment can deliver it to the Garden Route district municipality fire station in Pearl Road, Tamsui Industria.
People who wish to donate funds can send money to the Relief and Charitable Fund — ABSA Bank Cheque account: 9149554208 Branch Code: 632005.
Western Cape premier Alan Winde thanked all those who had been assisting in the rescue and emergency response.
“From the first responders who have been working tirelessly since Monday afternoon to save the lives of the trapped construction workers, to residents who turned out in their numbers to offer help in any way that they can.
“You all make me as your premier of this extraordinary province humble and grateful for everything you have done and are still doing,” he said.
“Our teams on the ground are working tirelessly to rescue the remaining 39 individuals.
“I cannot express the emotions I felt yesterday when the site would suddenly go completely quiet in the hope that our teams might be close to locating another survivor.”
HeraldLIVE
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