Miracle in George Building Collapse As Worker Survives 118 Hours Trapped Under Rubble

• A man has been rescued in the George building collapse after being stuck under rubble for more than 118 hours
• The search has entered day six after the almost complete building collapsed on 81 workers who were on site
• At least 13 people have been confirmed dead, but search and rescue efforts are still underway at the site

Trisha Pillay is a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg. For 13 years, she has devoted her professional life to covering social issues and community news, sharing her expertise with newsrooms like The Citizen newspaper, African News Network, and Newzroom Afrika. Do you have a hard news story you would like to share? Email trisha.pillay@briefly.co.za with CA in the subject line.

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GEORGE - A man has been rescued after being trapped for more than 118 hours in George after a building construction collapsed on Monday.

Man found alive

According to the Western Cape government, the survivor had been successfully extracted from the debris after being stuck for hours. The man named Gabriel Gumba was found as they removed a slab from what they believed to be floor level three. It's reported that the 32-year-old tiler could not move because he had weight on his legs. Gambe has now been rushed to hospital.

During the incident, cleaners, painters, and construction workers were on-site. So far, 42 workers have now been rescued from the debris, with 13 confirmed deceased. Another 39 workers are still missing, while 13 patients are receiving medical care in the hospital.

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In a statement released, Premier Alan Winde said:

"This is nothing short of a miracle—thank you to all the search and rescue teams! It is the miracle that we have all been hoping for. Rescue teams have found an individual alive and are communicating with him. It will take some time to reach him, but I am so grateful for the teams for tirelessly working to rescue those trapped on the site."

Click here to read the tweet:

What we need to know about George building collapse

• The apartment building on Victoria Street in George collapsed on Monday while still under construction, leading to at least 13 people dead.
• A total of 81 workers were on the site at the time of the collapse, with 13 currently hospitalised
• It is believed that some of the workers are Zimbabwean, Mozambican and Malawian nationals
• Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi has confirmed that his department will launch its own investigation into the collapse.

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South Africans overwhelmed with emotions

People around the country were overcome with emotions as they saw the man being pulled out of the rubble. Finding the man after being trapped for hours has given hope as rescue operations continue.

Here are some of the reactions:

@LearnGrowReap expressed:

"Now dig guys. Dig, dig. We need more good news."

@lizettepreiss commented:

"Great news."

@Sandra shared:

"The dedication of the search and rescue teams, everyone in support of those teams, every medic on standby is something to celebrate and acknowledge; South Africans just don't give up, even when the hope of finding survivors is tested by the march of time."

@RINRUDOTOTEMO exclaimed:

"A miracle indeed. Now, where are the culprits?"

@Retiredsoldier said:

"Good news. Time to account."

@Siya commented:

"Thank God."

George building owner commits to full cooperation.

In a related story, Briefly News reported that the owner and developer of the five-story building that collapsed in George, resulting in the loss of at least 13 lives, has promised to comply with the investigation fully.

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Search and rescue teams have not written the George operation off just yet as they try to see if there are more survivors.

The proposed construction of a five-story block of flats, set to feature a rooftop deck and underground parking on Victoria Street, collapsed on Monday.

Source: Briefly News