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Author: Chantel Edwards

MEDIA STATEMENT: 6am Status Update – Building Collapse, Victoria Street – George

Issued Garden Route District JOC/George Municipality, 11 May 2024, @ 06:00

Rescue operations continue for day five at the collapsed building site located at 75 Victoria Street with the multi-agency command using demolition equipment. Another body was recovered this morning at 02:36am in addition to the 12 as announced in the previous statement.

The rescue operations has reached 111 hours as of 6:00am, 11 May 2024.

Confirmed statistics:
Total estimated number on-site at the time of incident: 81
Patients retrieved: 41
Patients deceased: 13
Patients hospitalised: 13 still in hospital
Unaccounted: 40

An update will be issued by 9:00 11 May 2024, – South African Time.

Photo by Herman Pieters: Garden Route Municipality

MEDIA STATEMENT: 6:00 am Status Update – Building Collapse, Victoria Street – Georg

Issued Garden Route District Joc/George Municipality, 10 May 2024, @ 6:23am

GRDM Joc confirms that a hospitalized *red patient has been declared deceased as at 10 May.

Total estimated number on-site at the time of incident: 81
Patients retrieved:                                                              37
Patients blue:                                                                      9 (deceased)
Patients red status on recovery from site:                         15 (critical)
Patients yellow status on recovery from site:                     6 (life-threatening injuries)
Patients green status on recovery from site:                      7 (minor injuries)
Unaccounted:                                                                      44

The rescue operation has reached 88 hours, as of 6:25 at 10 May.

Big earth-moving machinery has arrived last night which includes two five (5) ton excavators, three (3) 20-ton excavators with hammers and buckets, and a three (3) cube front-end loader, as well as trucks for extraction and clearing. The rescue operation continues to be a multi-agency approach, involving local excavation contractors and the District Roads Engineer.

Despite the introduction of large machinery, rescue techniques will still be applied meticulously and sensitively by the highly skilled and experienced disaster management team.

An update will be issued by 9 am on Friday 10 May 2024, – South African Time.

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

Note: Medical Status of patients is not disclosed. The status given is as at recovery from the incident site.
*Note: Person declared deceased as at 10 May is a red patient who was retrieved has been in hospital, and has now been declared decesased.

 Photo by: Garden Route District Municipality, Herman Pieters

 

MEDIA STATEMENT: 6am Status Update – Building Collapse, Victoria Street – George

Issued George Municipality, 9 May 2024, @ 6:30am

The Garden Route District Joint Operational Centre established for the Victoria Street Building Site collapse has updated the figure for those present on site at the time of the incident on Monday 6 May. This follows intensive discussions and scrutinization of the safety records  with the responsible contractors. The contractor has now confirmed that the number of workers on site at the time of collapse was 81. (previously reports as 75).

Total Number on site at time of incident:               81
Patients retrieved:           37
Patients blue:                    8 (deceased)
Patients red:                      16 (critical)
Patients yellow:                6 (life-threatening injuries)
Patients green:                  7 (minor injuries)
Unaccounted:                    44

The rescue operation is at 64 hours as of 6:11 this morning, 9 May.

Rescue efforts have continued overnight. The emergency response team is implementing more substantive concrete breakers and additional trucks to remove building rubble from the site.

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

MEDIA STATEMENT: 6am Status Update – Building Collapse, Victoria Street – George

Issued George Municipality, 8 May 2024, 05:33

The tally of retrieMEDIA STATEMENT: 6am Status Update – Building Collapse, Victoria Street – George
Issued George Municipality, 8 May 2024, 05:33

The tally of retrieved patients has risen to thirty-six (36) as at 5:33 this morning Wednesday 8 May.
This leaves 39 persons unaccounted for at present.

Rescue operations at the building collapse site on Victoria Street continue with a multi-disciplinary rescue team of more than 200 emergency services. Seven (7) patients have been declared deceased.

Seventy-five (75) construction workers were present on the site at the time of the collapse which occurred at 14:09 on Monday 6 May and the rescue operation is now approaching 39 hours as of 5:33 this morning 8 May.

An update will be issued by 9am on Wednesday 8 May 2024, – South African Time.
ved patients has risen to thirty-six (36) as at 5:33 this morning Wednesday 8 May.
This leaves 39 persons unaccounted for at present.

Rescue operations at the building collapse site on Victoria Street continue with a multi-disciplinary rescue team of more than 200 emergency services. Seven (7) patients have been declared deceased.

Seventy-five (75) construction workers were present on the site at the time of the collapse which occurred at 14:09 on Monday 6 May and the rescue operation is now approaching 39 hours as of 5:33 this morning 8 May.

An update will be issued by 9am on Wednesday 8 May 2024, – South African Time.

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

Issued George Municipality, 7 May 2024, 21:30

The tally of retrieved patients has risen to thirty-four (34) as at 21:09 this evening, 7 May.
This leaves 41 persons unaccounted for at present.

Rescue operations at the building collapse site continue with a multi-disciplinary rescue team of more than 200 emergency services. Seven (7) patients have been declared deceased.

Seventy-five (75) construction workers were present on the site at the time of the collapse which occurred at 14:09 on Monday 6 May and the rescue operation is now approaching 31 hours as of 21:09 today, 7 May.

An update will be issued by 6am on Wednesday 8 May 2024, – South African Time.

Photograph Credit: Herman Pieters, GRDM Communications

MEDIA STATEMENT: Update on Building Collapse, Victoria Street – George (7 May, 20:30)

A multi-disciplinary rescue team of more than 200 emergency services personnel are continuing to conduct rescue operations and as of 19:40 this evening, 7 May 2024, seven (7) patients have been declared deceased.

Thirty-three (33) patients have been removed from the rubble of the collapsed multi-story construction site at 75 Victoria Street, leaving 42 persons unaccounted for.

Seventy-five (75) construction workers were present on the site at the time of the collapse which occurred at 14:09 on Monday 6 May and the rescue operation is now approaching 30 hours as of 20:00 today, 7 May.

An update will be issued at 21:00, 7 May 2024 – South African Time.

Photograph Credit: Herman Pieters, GRDM Communications 

MEDIA STATEMENT: Update on Building Collapse, Victoria Street – George (7 May, 5:15am)

Issued George Municipal, 7 May 2024, 5.15am

George Municipality confirms that as of 5:15am this morning, 7 May, a total of four (4) patients have been declared deceased.

Twenty-four (24) patients have been removed from the rubble of the collapsed multi-story construction site at 75 Victoria Street, leaving fifty-one (51) persons unaccounted for.

Status of patients: 10 red / 3 yellow / 7 green / 4 blue

Seventy-five (75) construction workers were present on the site at the time of the collapse which occurred at 14:09 on Monday 6 May.

Three teams of rescue personnel are currently working on three different areas within the site of the collapsed building.

An update will be issued at 9am, 7 May 2024 – South African Time.

Road Closures
Victoria Street remains closed for access at the York Street intersection, as well as midway down the street which means the Victoria Street gate to the George Municipal Building is not accessible to pedestrians or vehicles.

We request the public to please avoid this general area due to the constant presence of moving emergency vehicles and personnel.

Kindly access the municipal building via the Progress Street gate.

Thank you to volunteers
Municipal Manager Dr Gratz expressed her heartfelt appreciation for the organisations and individuals who have sprung into action to assist with the rescue operation. “We thank everyone who has volunteered of their time or provided sustenance to the rescue personnel. We continue to keep the families, friends and colleagues of those involved in this tragedy in our thoughts and prayers,” she said.

Note: Should any member of the public wish to provide drinking water, Lucozade, wine gums, or any food for the emergency services while they are on site – kindly deliver to the tent site via Ivy Street at 79 Victoria St, Delplan Consulting which is being manned by Gift of the Givers and Herman Pienaar of LoveGeorge.

For enquiries to give please contact: Gift of the Givers: Mario Ferreira (082 490 2752) and Herman Pienaar (082 829 6428)

MEDIA STATEMENT: Update on Building Collapse, Victoria Street – George

Issued George Municipal, 7 May 2024, 3am

George Municipality confirms three (3) patients extracted from the rubble of the multi-story construction site at 75 Victoria Street, have now been declared deceased. At 12:45am another red patient was extracted from the rubble which brings the total number extracted to twenty-four (24).

Emergency personnel from the City of Cape Town and Breede Valley Local Municipality have joined the Emergency and Disaster personnel on site and continue the search for the 51 unaccounted persons trapped.

An update will be issued at approximately 6am, 7 May 2024 – South African Time.

MEDIA STATEMENT: Update on Building Collapse, Victoria Street – George (12pm)

Issued George Municipal, 6 May 2024, 12pm

One red patient has been extracted at 11pm tonight at the site of the multi-storey construction site which collapsed at 75 Victoria Street this afternoon at 14:09. This brings the total number of patients extracted to twenty-three (23) of which two (2) have been declared deceased.

Over 111 Emergency and Disaster personnel are currently on site to locate and retrieve the remaining fifty-two (52) persons unaccounted for.  Two sniffer dogs are currently involved in the rescue operation.

Emergency personnel en-route from City of Cape Town and Breede Valley Local Municipality will be on site by 12pm tonight.

Minister Anton Bredell, Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning arrived this evening at 11pm and is currently at the site of the rescue operation.  Premier Alan Winde will arrive in George tomorrow morning.

Garden Route District Municipality has established a Joint Operations Centre (JOC) with multiple stakeholders present as well as Western Cape Provincial Disaster Services.

Over 100 Family and friends of the local construction workers involved in the incident are gathered at the  main municipal building and continue to be assisted by Department of Social Services and Correctional Services Social Workers.

The construction companies involved are working with the GRDM Joint Operations Centre to establish a list of names of those remaining unaccounted for.

An update will be issued at about 3am tomorrow, South African Time.

Note: Should any member of the public wish to provide drinking water, Lucozade, wine gums, or any food for the over 111 emergency services while they are on site – kindly deliver to the tent site via Ivy Street at 79 Victoria St, Delplan Consulting which is being manned by Gift of the Givers and Herman Pienaar of LoveGeorge which will remain operational throughout the night.

For enquiries to give please contact: Gift of the Givers: Mario Ferreira (082 490 2752) and Herman Pienaar (082 829 6428)

 

URGENT NOTICE: Building Collapse in Victoria Street

Issued George Municipality, 6 May @ 14:26

A building under construction in Victoria Street has collapsed. The public is urgently notified that Access to Victoria Road is blocked from York Street. Emergency services are on site and a number of ambulances will be required to enter the area due to multiple patients.

THE PUBLIC MUST PLEASE REFRAIN FROM TRYING TO VIEW THE INCIDENT AND MOVE AWAY FROM VICTORIA ROAD SO AS TO ALLOW EMERGENCY VEHICLES EASY ACCESS

WATER RESTORED – BLANCO


Repairs have been completed on the valve failure. Blanco reservoirs are busy filling up and thereafter the water network will take time to refill.

Please note Blanco will continue to experience low water pressure until the system rebalances.

Water tankers will remain in place until 20:00 tonight.

UPDATE WATER OUTAGE BLANCO

ETR 5-6 Hours

Following a 450mm pipe failure on 17 April in very difficult to access terrain, a temporary repair completed on morning of the 19th April together with a failed valve has left areas of Blanco without water. Civil Engineering teams are on site.

WATER TANKERS REMAIN IN POSITION

Tanker stationed near Pollock’s Place. 

Tanker stationed at Mont Fleur Estate entrance

Tanker stationed on corner Crystal Avenue & Golden Valley Drive

Tanker stationed at Roman Catholic Church, Die Rus will be withdrawn shortly.

Residents in Blanco, Heather Park and Heatherlands are urged to reduce water consumption as much as possible to avoid reservoirs running dry and maintain network pressure so water can reach all areas.

STATUS WATER OUTAGE – Blanco

Following a 450mm pipe failure on 17 April in very difficult to access terrain, a temporary repair completed on morning of the 19th April together with a failed valve yesterday evening, has left areas of Blanco without water. Civil Engineering teams are on site for repair work to the valve. An ETR can not be given.

WATER TANKERS REMAIN IN POSITION
Tanker stationed near Pollock’s Place.
Tanker stationed at Mont Fleur Estate entrance
Tanker stationed ar Roman Catholic Church, Die Rus
Tanker stationed on corner Crystal Avenue & Golden Valley Drive

Residents in Blanco, Heather Park and Heatherlands are urged to reduce water consumption as much as possible to avoid reservoirs running dry and maintain network pressure so water can reach all areas.

WATER OUTAGE – VALVE FAILURE – BLANCO

Valve failure in Plantation Road on the 450 mm pipeline in Blanco. Teams will isolate and attempt to fix. .

WATER TANKERS
Tanker stationed near Pollock’s Place.
Tanker stationed at Mont Fleur Estate entrance
Tanker stationed ar Roman Catholic Church, Die Rus
Tanker stationed on corner Crystal Avenue & Golden Valley Drive

Residents in Blanco, Heather Park and Heatherlands are urged to reduce water consumption as much as possible to avoid reservoirs running dry and maintain network pressure so water can reach all areas.

Water trucks will start roaming at 6am tomorrow morning.

ETR cannot be provided at this point.

UPDATE _ 450mm pipe failure Heatherlands

A temporary repair has been completed to supply water to Blanco following the pipe failure on 17 April. George Municipality is aware that Maitland Street, Searle Street and Mont Fleur Estate currently do not have water and a large tanker is stationed near Pollock’s Place. A smaller tanker is stationed at Mont Fleur Estate entrance.

Residents in Blanco, Heather Park and Heatherlands are urged to reduce water consumption as much as possible to avoid reservoirs running dry and maintain network pressure so water can reach all areas.

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A temporary repair has been completed to supply water to Blanco following the pipe failure on 17 April. George Municipality is aware that Maitland Street, Searle Street and Mont Fleur Estate currently do not have water and a tanker is being dispatched. Location will be updated once tanker is in position.

Residents in Blanco, Heather Park and Heatherlands are urged to reduce water consumption as much as possible to avoid reservoirs running dry and maintain network pressure so water can reach all areas.

UPDATE _ 450mm pipe failure Heatherlands

Excavation and repairwork is continuing at the site of the 450mm pipeburst in Heatherlands.

Please note the affected areas will either have no water or experience low water pressure.

Additional water tankers in place:
1 x Die Rus,
1 x Golden Valley,
1 x Millie’s,
1 x Fortuin Street and 1 roaming.

Areas Affected
The affected area includes a portion of Blanco, Heatherpark and Heatherlands.

Specific streets affected are Maitland Street, Searle Street. Preekstoel Street and the farms fed from the ESKOM reservoir.

We ask residents in Blanco, Heather Park and Heatherlands to please reduce your water consumption as much as possible to avoid reservoirs running dry.

PUBLIC NOTICE – UPDATE ON GREEN BAG COLLECTION


Issued George Municipality, 18 April @ 16:30

The George Cleansing department requests residents to please leave their green refuse bags out for collection as any backlog will be addressed tomorrow and over the weekend. We apologize for any inconvenience and trust that as of Monday the service will continue smoothly.