Three construction workers are feared dead after a 490-tonne concrete span collapsed at the MRT construction site near the former Rubber Research Institute (RRI) in Kota Damansara las tnight.
MRT Corp said in a statement that the three workers in question are Bangladeshi nationals Mohamad Faruk Khan, Mohammad Elahi Hossain and Mohammad Alauddin Mollik, but that no members of the general public were involved in the accident, as there was no public access to the site.
“Rescue efforts are currently on-going and an emergency response team is on standby at the site,” Bernama quotes the statement as saying.
At 8.30pm last night, a span of the MRT guide way dislodged from its piers and fell to the ground, as work was being carried out to construct the parapet for the guide.
The collapsed concrete span was made of of 14 segmented box girders, measured 38m in length and weighed 490 tonnes.
MRT Corp CEO Datuk Wira Azhar Abdul Hamid expressed his deep regret over the incident when he was queried at the scene of the accident.
“Although investigations are underway, MRT Corp assumes full responsibility for the incident. Once investigations are completed, action on those responsible will be taken,” he said in a statement.
The Fire and Rescue Department would carry out its search and rescue operation, which includes deploying the K-9 unit, until the bodies, if there are any, are found.
“We are using the tunneling approach to dig at the site because the span is too heavy and long to lift,” said a Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson.
