No sign of life found in building collapse

The house was constructed on top of a cave (Photo submitted by reader)

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, August 27, 2007 - Hope fades for a St Michael family of five who remain buried for over 24 hours after they plunged with their apartment, as they slept, into a subterranean cavern when the roof of the cave, on which their home was constructed, collapsed early Sunday morning.

The Barbados Meteorological Office said that a tropical wave approaching the island would bring some scattered showers and isolated
thunderstorms during the day Monday, as rescue work continued.

Three children aged one to seven were in the rubble with 30-year-old Donavera Codrington and his 27-year-old wife, Cassandra in Britton's Hill Cross Road, about three miles east of the capital Bridgetown. The fourth child, a three-month old was staying with relatives and was not at home at the time of the collapse.

We have not given up hope though data received is not promising - Dr Brian Charles Photos:  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6

Two sniffer dogs from an urban search and rescue team from Miami Dade, which arrived on the scene at 1130pm EST Sunday, searched the cave between 4:55am and 5:50am without finding any signs of life, incident commander Dr Brian Charles told reporters.

Listening devices placed in the cavern have also not been able to detect signs of life but Charles said for the next 12 to 24 hours it would remain a rescue operation as opposed to a recovery operation.

"We have not given up hope though data received is not promising."

He also said that the rescuers have reported an "extremely dangerous" and "precarious" situation in the cavern which branches into two directions, each with shear walls, large fissures and overhanging rock.

However, he said there was no need to expand the 500-foot exclusion zone on the surface at this time.

Five homes and three apartments into that zone were evacuated Sunday. Most of the residents stayed in emergency shelters and were allowed into their homes Monday morning to collect personal effects.

Rescuers were also seeking an alternate route into the cave but found a large boulder blocked the path.

Charles said it would need to be broken up and removed but this could not be done if the anyone was still alive because it could endanger them.

The Miami Dade urban search and rescue team sent a unit to Barbados Sunday night. It comprises three dogs, two handlers, a hazards material specialist, structural engineers, and paramedics.

Location of the apartment block ... click for a larger photo (Graphic: Google Maps)

Their immediate concern was that the remnants of the three-apartment block was unsafe and required stabilising before they could start their work.

Men dangling from cranes secured the building with seven straps.

The search and rescue team started to work at 4:55am EST Monday.

Neighbours reported hearing a rumbling noise, like a rock fall, in the early hours of Sunday morning. One neighbour said she was awakened by the noise and roused her husband who could find nothing suspicious and went back to bed. Just before daybreak the same neighbour heard the noise again but much louder and became scared.

As it was daylight, she stepped outside her house to be greeted with shock and horrors. She was in time to see another section of the three-apartment block cave in.

"Everything humanly possible is being done," said Owen Arthur, the prime minister of Barbados.

The ruling Barbados Labour Party cancelled a mass political meeting that was scheduled to be held in the Britton's Hill area Sunday night.

Barbados is presently in elections preparation mode.

The prime minister as well as the leader of the opposition Democratic Labour Party David Thompson visited the incident site.