Authorities responded to a partial building collapse in Arncliffe, a suburb of Sydney, on Thursday morning after a floor gave way in a two-story brick structure. Three individuals, a woman in her 20s and two men in their 30s, were trapped by the collapse but were freed by emergency responders.
NSW Ambulance supervisor Cara Low stated that the trapped individuals suffered minor injuries. One person was transported to St. George Hospital in a stable condition. "They were very lucky, especially given there were some heavy boxes above them," Low said. Fire and Rescue NSW safely excavated the trapped individuals.
A fourth person was also assessed by paramedics at the scene for minor injuries.
Emergency crews were called to the commercial property on Hattersley Street shortly after 9 a.m. Witnesses reported hearing screams from inside the building during the rescue operation. Engineers were on site for several hours assessing the stability of the structure.
