House collapses over 4 construction workers during demolition
Collapse reportedly caused by heavy rain and ageing accommodation
A house in Samut Prakan province near Bangkok collapsed on top of four construction workers while they were demolishing it today, May 27. Fortunately, all four victims were rescued safely.
The collapse occurred in the morning at a residence in Soi Thepharak 70 in the Mueang Samut Prakan district. The house had a concrete ground floor and a wooden upper floor. It was undergoing demolition in preparation for renovation.
The owner of the house was not present at the scene. Only the four construction workers, who were hired to carry out the demolition, were involved in the accident. Their identities were not disclosed in the report.
A 30 year old witness, Komsan, told Channel 3 that the house collapsed before his eyes. He was woken up by the noise from the demolition work and looked out through a window, only to see the house collapsing.
Komsan said he rushed to the scene and was able to help one of the workers. He then called a rescue team to assist the other three workers who were trapped beneath the rubble.
Rescue workers initially managed to retrieve two of the men and transport them to a nearby hospital. However, the last worker was buried deep beneath the debris. In video footage shared by Channel 3, rescuers could be heard attempting to communicate with the trapped man to coordinate the rescue.
“Is any part of your body stuck? Has the structure pinned your arms or legs? Can you breathe normally? Can you see any light from above?”
The worker replied that his arm was stuck in the debris. He could still breathe but there was no light where he was.
Rescuers encouraged the man and assured him that they were working as quickly as possible to free him. After three hours, they successfully retrieved him from the wreckage. He is in stable condition but remains under close medical observation.
Komsan told the media that the house was over 30 years old. The previous tenant had recently moved out, and the owner had decided to demolish and renovate the property into a garage.
Police plan to summon the house owner and the construction company for questioning in order to determine the cause of the incident. It is believed that heavy rainfall and ground subsidence may have compromised the structural integrity of the ageing house, leading to the collapse.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
