Angeles City building collapse death toll rises to 13

The death toll in the collapse of a building under construction in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City, Pampanga has risen to 13, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Region 3 said Friday.

In an update, BFP Region 3 said rescuers recovered another body from the rubble at 12:59 p.m. amid ongoing search, rescue, and retrieval operations.

“The 13th confirmed casualty has been extricated from the collapse site,” BFP Region 3 said.

Authorities said 13 people have been confirmed dead, seven remain missing, and 27 were rescued following the incident.

The nine-story building under construction collapsed before dawn on May 24.

According to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), there were possible violations of occupational safety and health standards at the construction site.

The project had previously been placed under a work stoppage order by DOLE Region 3 due to safety deficiencies. Work later resumed after the company reportedly complied with the agency’s requirements.

On Saturday, lawyers for the building owner and contractor appeared at a press conference a week after the incident.

One of the lawyers said the building owner was willing to assist the victims and wanted an independent investigation into the collapse.

“We first coordinated with the Office of the Mayor. They are in a position to help us, and we explained that financial assistance would be provided if needed,” Atty. Willie Rivera, representative of the building owner, said.

“The contractor will not run away from requests for assistance from the families. Their number one priority right now is to help the affected families,” Atty. Nicolai Manguerra, representative of the contractor, said.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing.—MCG, GMA News