Worker killed as wall collapses in Pasig

A construction worker was killed when a five-meter high cement wall collapsed and landed on him in Pasig City yesterday.

At least 20 rescue and volunteer workers from the city government of Pasig joined hands to retrieve the body of the victim, identified only as Ricardo.

Rescue workers pulled out another laborer, a certain Rolly, from the rubble and rushed him to the Rizal medical Center, where he is now being treated.

The two were among 10 workers hired by the R.S. Asuncion Construction company to repair the drainage system on Valderama street, Purok 2 in Barangay Pineda.

Councilor Robert Eusebio said the project has been in progress for almost a month now. It intends to connect the barangay drainage to the Pasig River.

"We are replacing the old drainage with new ones," said Eusebio, who rushed to the scene with city’s rescue workers upon learning of the incident.

The two men were working on the drainage when the cement wall of the three houses at a compound located at 195 Valderama street collapsed at about 3:30 p.m.

Erlinda Florendo, 42, was washing clothes at an open space at the back of their house when the wall suddenly collapsed.

Florendo sustained injuries in the right arm and left knee. She said a male neighbor was also hurt.

Florendo’s brother-in-law, Rogelio, 42, said the foundation of the wall was already showing cracks last Monday night.

His father, Eduviges, told workers about the cracks, but they and instead continued working," Rogelio said.

Witnesses claimed the worker identified as Rolly tried to run from the collapsing wall, but was still buried by soil and rocks.

Using a boom crane, rescue workers lifted a large chunk of the wall then used spades and their bare hands to remove the debris.