Death toll from building collapse rises to 14, search ends

PATHUM THANI, THAILAND, August 15 (TNA) - Search and rescue teams have ended their five-day operations at a six-storey building under construction in Bangkok's neighbouring Pathum Thani Province which collapsed on August 11, after all 14 bodies trapped under the rubble, as claimed by relatives, have been found. Pathum Thani Governor Pongsathorn Sajjachonlaphun told journalists on Friday that he has ordered the end to the search and rescue operations at the U-Place condominium construction site, after all bodies of the 14 people reported missing had been discovered. The governor said rescue workers discovered the 13th and the 14th bodies under the ruins on Thursday night. The governor thanked all volunteers, soldiers and police involved in the five-day search and rescue operations for victims of the building collapse. According to the governor, the collapse site has remained cordoned off as a disaster zone for public safety. The condominium building, located on Khlong 6 Road in Pathum Thani's Khong Luang District, crumbled last Monday afternoon, while workers were pouring concrete on the top floor of the structure, trapping dozens of workers, including migrant labourers, 25 of all the victims were rescued with injuries, five of them have remained hospitalised. (TNA)