|
|
|
|
|
29 September 2023
|
Mexican church roof collapses, killing 10 during Sunday Mass
|
|
|
A church roof collapsed during Sunday Mass, 1 October 2023, in a northern Mexican city killing at least 10 people and injuring 60, authorities said, as rescuers worked into the night, desperately looking for another 30 people believed to be trapped under the rubble.
Rescuers crawled under the roof slabs and wreckage.
Working under floodlights, military personnel supported emergency services using rescue dogs and earth moving equipment to identify and dig out survivors from the ruins of the church in Ciudad Madero, a city on the Gulf coast near the port of Tampico.
Video distributed by the state Civil Defence office showed the outer edges of the roof propped up by short wooden blocks. It also showed initial efforts to lift off parts of the collapsed roof closer to the ground, in the centre of the church, with a crane. But the office said the efforts to lift roof sections were abandoned because of the danger that a chunk of the now-crumbling slab might fall back and endanger any survivors.
The video described how officials had reverted to manual rescue efforts, apparently sending rescuers under the slab with wood props or hydraulic jacks to reach those trapped underneath.
Specially trained dogs also were sent into the rubble to detect survivors. The Civil Defence office said the dogs did not initially appear to detect signs of survivors, so an older method was implemented that had been used in past earthquakes: sending rescue teams into the rubble to shout and listen for signs of any response.
The Tamaulipas state police said about 100 people were in the church at the time of the collapse.
Footage on social media showed the moment the church roof caved in, puffs of grey smoke billowing into the air, followed by the toppling of yellow brick outer walls.
Ten people died and another 60 were taken to nearby hospitals, while 30 other worshippers remained unaccounted for, Jorge Cuellar, spokesperson for the Security Ministry of Tamaulipas state, which borders Texas.
Five women, two men and three children were among those killed, state governor Americo Villarreal said. The governor added that 23 people remained hospitalised, with two in a serious condition.
The National Seismological Service did not report any seismic activity strong enough to cause such damage at the time of the collapse. Nor was there any immediate indication of an explosion.
Speaking on Foro TV news channel, Cuéllar thanked local businessmen for bringing equipment to help remove rubble and aid rescue efforts.
Bishop Jose Armando Alvarez from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tampico said the church roof crumbled as worshippers were receiving communion and asked others to pray for the survivors. "In this moment the necessary work is being carried out to pull out the people who are still under the rumble," Bishop Armando said in a recorded message shared on social media.
Mexican media reported that several children were baptised during the Sunday Mass at the church.
Sources: Reuters, Straits Times, ITV, The Guardian
Rescuers crawled under the roof slabs and wreckage.
Working under floodlights, military personnel supported emergency services using rescue dogs and earth moving equipment to identify and dig out survivors from the ruins of the church in Ciudad Madero, a city on the Gulf coast near the port of Tampico.
Video distributed by the state Civil Defence office showed the outer edges of the roof propped up by short wooden blocks. It also showed initial efforts to lift off parts of the collapsed roof closer to the ground, in the centre of the church, with a crane. But the office said the efforts to lift roof sections were abandoned because of the danger that a chunk of the now-crumbling slab might fall back and endanger any survivors.
The video described how officials had reverted to manual rescue efforts, apparently sending rescuers under the slab with wood props or hydraulic jacks to reach those trapped underneath.
Specially trained dogs also were sent into the rubble to detect survivors. The Civil Defence office said the dogs did not initially appear to detect signs of survivors, so an older method was implemented that had been used in past earthquakes: sending rescue teams into the rubble to shout and listen for signs of any response.
The Tamaulipas state police said about 100 people were in the church at the time of the collapse.
Footage on social media showed the moment the church roof caved in, puffs of grey smoke billowing into the air, followed by the toppling of yellow brick outer walls.
Ten people died and another 60 were taken to nearby hospitals, while 30 other worshippers remained unaccounted for, Jorge Cuellar, spokesperson for the Security Ministry of Tamaulipas state, which borders Texas.
Five women, two men and three children were among those killed, state governor Americo Villarreal said. The governor added that 23 people remained hospitalised, with two in a serious condition.
The National Seismological Service did not report any seismic activity strong enough to cause such damage at the time of the collapse. Nor was there any immediate indication of an explosion.
Speaking on Foro TV news channel, Cuéllar thanked local businessmen for bringing equipment to help remove rubble and aid rescue efforts.
Bishop Jose Armando Alvarez from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tampico said the church roof crumbled as worshippers were receiving communion and asked others to pray for the survivors. "In this moment the necessary work is being carried out to pull out the people who are still under the rumble," Bishop Armando said in a recorded message shared on social media.
Mexican media reported that several children were baptised during the Sunday Mass at the church.
Sources: Reuters, Straits Times, ITV, The Guardian
