Daijiworld Media Network - Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Apr 9: At least one person has died and two others remain missing after a parking garage under construction collapsed on Wednesday, triggering a massive rescue operation, officials said.

According to Mayor Cherelle Parker, a section of the roof gave way, leading to a “progressive collapse” that spread across all seven levels of the structure.

Rescue teams managed to pull out three individuals from the debris. Jeffrey Thompson, Fire Commissioner, said one of them was critically injured and later succumbed at the hospital, while the other two were treated and discharged.

Authorities said the structure remains unstable, making rescue operations extremely challenging. Officials plan to carefully dismantle the building layer by layer to safely access lower levels and search for the missing persons.

“We are not going to stop until everyone is accounted for,” Parker said, assuring that all efforts are being made to locate those still untraced.

The parking facility is owned by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Officials confirmed that all required permits had been issued and inspections were up to date prior to the incident.

Meanwhile, Josh Shapiro stated that his office is extending full support to the ongoing rescue efforts. Authorities have also initiated an investigation to determine the exact cause of the collapse.

Emergency crews continue to work at the site amid safety concerns, as hopes remain for locating the missing individuals.