Hotel building under construction collapses in Philippines, at least 4 dead and 17 missing

world | ABC News Australia | 2026-05-25T19:18:00.000Z

A hotel building under construction has collapsed in Angeles City in the Philippines, killing at least four people with 17 still missing and feared trapped under rubble. More than 700 rescue workers are sifting through the debris. Officials say the building collapsed during work on an unapproved 10th level.

A hotel building under construction has collapsed in Angeles City in the northern Philippines, killing at least four people with 17 still missing and feared trapped beneath tonnes of rubble. More than 30 workers were on site when the structure gave way during work on what officials say was an unapproved 10th level that had never been authorised in building plans.

More than 700 rescue workers have been working around the clock for over a day, sifting through the debris in increasingly dangerous conditions. Officials say the biggest challenge is ensuring the rescuers themselves do not become trapped, as the site remains very unstable. Since the building was still under construction, it is mostly scaffolding and steel structures holding up the debris, making the entire area precarious.

Sniffer dogs and heartbeat detection devices have been deployed to locate survivors in spaces that rescue workers cannot physically reach. Teams have been able to communicate verbally with some people trapped inside the wreckage, offering a glimmer of hope to families who have maintained an agonising vigil at the perimeter of the collapse site since the incident occurred.

Families have been watching on as their relatives are pulled from the wreckage. Not everyone has survived the journey to hospital. One woman whose husband was among the workers on site said she arrived to find he could no longer be contacted, learning only from others that the building had collapsed. Another family member pleaded for any sign of life from their loved one trapped inside.

The collapse has raised serious questions about construction safety standards and building code enforcement in the Philippines. The fact that work was proceeding on an unapproved additional level suggests regulatory oversight failures. Authorities have yet to announce any arrests or charges in connection with the disaster as rescue operations remain the immediate priority.