Bangkok building collapse: 13 still missing, search continues
Rescuers race against time amid rubble as families await news in harrowing ordeal
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) continues its search and recovery operations for the 13 people still missing after the collapse of the newly constructed State Audit Office building.
Suriyachai Rawiwan, the Director of the BMA’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, announced on Monday that rescue teams can now access the entire basement area, measuring 40×40 metres. As of that day, more than 200 sets of human remains have been sent to the Police General Hospital’s Institute of Forensic Medicine for DNA analysis.
The remaining debris is largely concentrated in Zone B, where rubble approximately three metres high is being cleared. This zone, connected to the car park, contained damaged steel pillars, necessitating careful work to prevent further collapse. Demolition activities in areas B2 and B3 are ongoing, with the expectation that the entire site will be cleared within two to three days.
Thaiwut Khankaew, the BMA’s City Planning and Development Director, noted that most bodies were found near the fire escape, which is believed to have been the final refuge for many during the collapse. The search operation is continuing across all zones and is anticipated to last another four to five days.
Thaiwut highlighted the challenges posed by the complexity of the 30-storey building structure and the lack of experience in managing a collapse of this scale, which involved nearly 100 fatalities.
“We have been working with great caution to help any survivors and retrieve the deceased, which complicates the operation.”
Over 70 cranes and diggers are in use, with coordination meetings occurring twice daily. Despite numerous obstacles, the teams are dedicated to retrieving and identifying every victim, reported Bangkok Post.
Yesterday, the confirmed toll stood at 87 dead, nine injured, and 13 missing out of the 109 people affected. Final identification will be based on forensic analysis results from the Police General Hospital to ensure alignment with official records.
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