Foreign Tourist Passes Away After Being Trapped Inside Apartelle Beside Collapsed Building
A foreign tourist loses his life in a tragic accident after a building under construction collapsed in Angeles City, Pampanga.
On early Sunday morning (May 24, 2026), the authorities confirmed that a Malaysian tourist who was visiting the Philippines died after being trapped inside an apartelle located beside the collapsed structure.
The Bureau of Fire Protection has already recovered the body of the foreign victim during the ongoing rescue operations. Earlier reports said rescuers were still able to contact the tourist through his cellphone while he was trapped under the debris, giving hope that he could still be saved.
The nine-story building was reportedly being constructed as a hotel. The collapse happened around 2:30 in the morning while many people nearby were asleep. Authorities fear that more than 20 individuals may still be trapped under the rubble.
Most of the missing victims are believed to be construction workers staying inside the building. Some workers were sleeping in makeshift barracks located underneath the structure when the collapse happened. Families of some workers were also staying there during the night.
One of the survivors, Bryan Sytangco, shared that he was asleep when the building suddenly gave way. He suffered injuries on his head, arms, and legs but managed to survive the disaster. He also fears that his cousin and the cousin’s 17-year-old child may still be trapped beneath the ruins.
Meanwhile, a woman named Lorena Angcao continues to wait for news about her brother and sister-in-law, who owned a small store near the construction site. According to a survivor, the couple was sleeping inside their store and may not have escaped before the collapse.
Rescue teams continue to search carefully through the debris by hand. Heavy equipment cannot yet be used because authorities worry that vibrations may trigger another collapse and put trapped victims and rescuers in greater danger.
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