Penang's tragic building collapse: What we know so far

SHAH ALAM - In a tragic incident, a construction mishap in Batu Maung, Bayan Lepas, Georgetown, led to a building collapse, claiming the lives of three workers and leaving two severely injured thus far.

Four others were feared to be trapped under the debris, which prompted an urgent search and rescue operation conducted by the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM).

The incident happened when the roof frame of a logistics warehouse under construction collapse at approximately 9.45pm, while the workers were working beneath the 12-metre beam weighing about 14 tonnes.

Initial reports indicated that 18 workers might have been trapped, but subsequent verification confirmed that nine had left for prayers.

As a result, three workers were pronounced dead at the scene while two others succumbed to their injuries after being rushed to the Penang Hospital.

One of the workers of the construction site Mohidul Islam, 43, said that he was grateful to come down early before the incident took place.

The Bangladeshi national said he was with four others doing carpentry work on the top floor of the warehouse when he decided to take a break and left his workstation.

"Suddenly I heard a loud noise and the situation became chaotic after realising that there was a collapse of the structure that was under construction.

"Most of us here have only been working at this project site for three months...I am very sad because I have friends who died in the incident," he told Bernama when met at the scene today.

Another worker, Md Ikhtiar, 38, said it was about 9.40 pm and he was working on the ground floor when he suddenly felt the structure of the building swaying.

"I immediately went out of the building after hearing screams from other workers and then saw the building collapse.

"One of the victims managed to be pulled out from the rubble, but his condition was bad and he died shortly after," he told Bernama.

Currently, rescue efforts were underway, with a focus on locating the four workers believed to be buried under the rubble.

Specialised equipment, including cranes, had been deployed to remove the collapsed structure and aid in the search operation.

The collapsed area spans a space equivalent to a basketball court, making clearance and search procedures challenging.

Penang Deputy Police Chief Datuk Mohamad Usuf Jan Mohamad who confirmed the incident said that while the search and rescue operations continued, efforts were also being made to establish the identities of the deceased.

Amidst the ongoing efforts, the Bangladesh Consulate has expressed its concerns and stated its intent to await official details about the victims and their identification before issuing any formal statements or comments regarding the incident.

“The Consulate seeks proper documentation to accurately identify the individuals affected by this unfortunate accident,” it said.

The JBPM was prepared to further deploy K9 units to assist in the rescue operation if deemed necessary as they continued their rigorous efforts to locate and rescue the trapped individuals.

The incident had sparked a sense of urgency and concern, emphasising the critical need for swift and efficient rescue operations to save lives and ensure the safety of all workers involved in the construction site accident.

Further updates are awaited as the rescue efforts persist.