MEDIA STATEMENT: 9 pm Status Update – Building Collapse, Victoria Street – George

Issued George Municipality, 8 May 2024, @9:00 pm

George Municipality confirms that as of 7:32 pm on Wednesday, 8 May the total number of deceased persons is eight (8). The rescue efforts are ongoing overnight, the emergency response team is implementing more substantive concrete breakers and additional trucks to remove building rubble from the site to free the remaining entrapped patients.

37 patients retrieved.
8 are blue (Deceased).
16 red patients (Critical).
6 yellow patients (Life-threatening injuries).
7 green (minor injuries).
A total of 38 of the initial 75 workers on site remain unaccounted for at present.

The rescue operation is approaching 55 hours as of 21:00 this evening, 8 May.

An update will be issued by 3 am on Thursday, 9 May 2024, – South African Time.

On-site Triage Description:
Blue: Deceased
Red: Critical
Yellow: Life-threatening injuries
Green: Minor injuries

Photos by: Herman Pieters, Garden Route District Municipality