Death toll rises to three, 17 still missing in Pampanga building collapse

ANGELES CITY, PAMPANGA - Rescuers pulled two people from the rubble of a collapsed building under construction in Pampanga, bringing the death toll to three, officials said on Monday, as crews continued search and rescue operations after overnight scans detected signs of life beneath the debris.

One of the two victims had a pulse when he was retrieved, but later died, Maria Leah Sajili, information officer at the regional Bureau of Fire Protection, said in a phone interview, while another suffered cardiac arrest while still trapped.

Officials said an investigation is now underway into what caused the collapse of the multi-storey building in the city of Angeles, north of the capital, Manila.

Rescuers were also working to retrieve another body buried under the debris, Sajili said, but it would only be added to the official toll once it has been recovered.

Sajili said there could be more victims trapped, after thermal scans detected signs of breathing and heartbeats beneath the rubble.

The number of missing stood at 17, most of them construction workers listed as being on duty at the site, Sajili said.

Among those who died was a 65-year-old Malaysian national whose body was recovered on Sunday from a neighbouring hotel building that had also been affected by the collapse.

Planning records showed the building that collapsed was intended as a nine-storey condo-hotel under the approved permit, but that a swimming pool was being constructed on an additional 10th floor, authorities said.

Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin told reporters that authorities were trying to locate the building owner to get answers, including clarity on the number of workers at the site.

FAMILIES VOICE GROWING FRUSTRATION

Families have grown increasingly impatient and frustrated with the pace of the search and rescue operations.

Lea Casilao, who travelled from Manila, said she only wants regular updates about the status of her husband, a construction worker believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.

"My youngest child keeps asking, but I do not have answers," the 47-year-old said.

Lorena Angcao, 50, echoed her frustration, saying authorities should at least keep families informed.

Ongcao said her brother and sister-in-law, who worked as vendors near the site, were among those missing. "They can't feel what we're feeling," she said.

-Reporting by Karen Lema, Jay Ereno, Lorenza Lesaba and Noel Celis; Editing by David Stanway/Reuters