Rescue efforts continue for construction worker trapped in Bangkok sinkhole

The rescue mission continued this morning after a 33-year-old construction worker fell into a sinkhole yesterday at the Orange Line mass transit site in Bangkok’s Pom Prap Sattru Phai district

At 9pm last night, one of the main obstacles was the ongoing landslides near the sinkhole, which posed additional danger to both the worker, Dao, from Si Sa Ket province, and the rescue teams.

A Cambodian worker, Chart, said that Dao was tightening bolts on machinery at about 12.30pm when the ground suddenly gave way.

Chart said he tried to grab Dao but failed. “I did everything I could to reach him, but the soil collapsed into the hole and preventing me from helping him.”

Initial information indicated that the sinkhole is about 19 meters deep.

The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand revealed that the incident occurred in an area where excavation work was underway for the construction of the Lan Luang Station.

At first, a rescue worker rappelled approximately 10 meters into the hole and attempted to dig through the mud by hand to create space to help the victim breathe.

A backhoe was also deployed to remove mud from the edges of the sinkhole in an effort to prevent further soil collapse.

A rescue worker said in a radio interview that the efforts to save Saravut were hampered by soft soil in the area, which was prone to collapse due to recent rain.

Chart added that Saravut had only been working at the site for about ten days.

Photos by Fire & Rescue Thailand