TWO individuals died and three others were injured Wednesday when the ceiling of an abandoned water refilling station in Pasay City collapsed during unauthorized renovations.
The victims, identified as a senior citizen and a construction worker, were trapped under the rubble, according to a report by “24 Oras.” Rescue teams worked for two hours to recover the bodies and the injured workers.
Pasay Police Commander Police Major Geo Colibao stated that the building’s collapse was due to a lack of sturdy foundations and illegal construction.
The renovation work, which had only recently begun, was undertaken without the necessary building permits and failed to adhere to health and safety standards. Investigators noted the absence of proper safety equipment and the use of inadequate wooden supports instead of metal scaffolding.
“There was no metal scaffolding, they were only holding it up with wooden poles… Initial investigations showed that there really were no building permits for the ongoing structure so from there, they already had violations,” Colibao explained.
Rosalinda Gamilla, who owns a nearby store, recounted the incident, stating that the water refilling station had been inactive for over a year. She narrowly avoided injury, saying, “If we opened (our store) earlier, I and my husband really would have been affected because we stayed near the windows. The impact of the glass shards [would have been] strong because it reached up to here.”
The impact of the collapse extended to her store, highlighting the severity of the structural failure.
The owners of the building are facing potential charges of Reckless Imprudence resulting in Homicide. Police Major Colibao emphasized the importance of adhering to safety protocols and obtaining necessary permits to prevent future tragedies. “Let’s follow the safety protocols, and procure the needed building permit to avoid these kinds of catastrophes,” he added.
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