Manila: A temporary elevator at a building
construction site in the Philippine capital plunged 25 floors
today, killing 10 workers, officials said.
The workers were installing glass windows at a high-rise
condominium when a platform elevator gave way, sending them
tumbling down from the 32nd to the seventh floor, said Mayor
Junjun Binay of Makati city, Manila`s financial district.
Police and rescue officials said 10 workers were killed.
One worker was in critical condition, but it was not
immediately clear how many were on the platform, Binay said.
In a statement, building owner Eton Properties
Philippines, Inc said the workers were employees of its glass
contractor and were on a break at the time of the accident.
The workers took the platform to go up the 39-story building
``instead of taking the stairs,`` the statement said.
``However, since the platform can only carry a few
workers, the cable snapped,`` it said, adding that the company
has ordered a review of the safety regulations of its
subcontractors and construction management.
The company`s website describes Eton as the global real
estate arm of the Lucio Tan Group and a sister company of the
Philippine National Bank and Philippine Airlines.
Binay ordered construction at the site halted.
The Philippines, particularly Manila, has been
experiencing a construction boom since last year, driven by
low interest rates, the large number of foreign remittances
from 9 million Filipinos working abroad and the need for more
office space to accommodate the country`s growing outsourcing
industry.
PTI
