According to the police, the roof frame of a logistics warehouse that was being built in Batu Maung, Bayan Lepas, collapsed yesterday morning at 1.40 am, killing three construction workers.
Two of the victims passed away at the scene of the incident, while one victim passed away in a hospital, according to Penang deputy police chief Datuk Mohamad Usuf Jan Mohamad.
According to Mohamad Usuf, the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) is conducting search and rescue operations, and four more workers are thought to be buried beneath the debris. Two seriously injured workers were transported to the Penang Hospital for treatment.
He stated that the deceased people’s identities are still unknown.
“We were informed about the incident at 9:45 p.m., according to which a building that was being constructed collapsed, trapping eighteen construction workers.” Nine of the eighteen, we were informed, had really gone outside to pray.
The workers were operating beneath a 12-meter beam that weighed roughly 14 tonnes at the time of the incident. Later, the beam gave way beneath the laborers and piled on top of more beams in that location. During a press conference held at the site, he stated that two of them passed away there and one died at the Penang Hospital.
According to Mohamad Usuf, the fallen structure is being raised by cranes to allow the search and rescue team to begin searching for victims who may be buried beneath the debris.
According to Zulfahmi Sutaji, the deputy director of Penang JBPM, the collapsed area was equivalent in size to a basketball court, and the fallen structures were being lifted using cranes and other machinery. If necessary, Zulfahmi said, the K9 dog unit would be called in to help with the search and rescue effort.
Upon arriving at the scene, Bangladesh Consulate Datuk Shaik Ismail Allaudin stated that they were still awaiting information regarding the victims of the incident. “Right now we cannot issue any statement before knowing any information officially. I have asked the contractor to provide details of the victims. Although we know they are from Bangladesh, we need documents to identify before making any statements,” he said.
