Building collapse: Penang Island City Council issues stop work order

• MBPP mayor Datuk A Rajendran said this was to facilitate the rescue operation of the victims and the investigation carried out by the authorities.

GEORGE TOWN (Nov 29): The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has issued an immediate stop work order to the developer, engineer and architect of the logistics warehouse construction project in Batu Maung, Bayan Lepas, which collapsed on Tuesday (Nov 28) night.

MBPP mayor Datuk A Rajendran said this was to facilitate the rescue operation of the victims and the investigation carried out by the authorities.

“We have issued an immediate stop work order this morning (Wednesday, Nov 29) to the developer and architect,” he told reporters at the scene.

Rajendran also said that the construction is a fast-track project and is on schedule.

“(Before the incident,) we had also given permission for this project to be carried out at night because it is located outside the residential area,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bayan Lepas assemblyman Datuk Azrul Mahathir Aziz, who also visited the site, called for strict action to be taken against those responsible if negligence is found to have caused the incident.

“I hope such incidents will not recur in future,” he said.

Police have confirmed that three Bangladeshi workers were killed, while two others were seriously injured when a logistics warehouse under construction collapsed at 9.58pm on Tuesday.

The injured victims were sent to Penang Hospital for treatment, while four others are believed to have been buried under the rubble.

As at 9am on Wednesday, the search and rescue operation is still being carried out by the Fire and Rescue Department, with assistance from other agencies, including the police and the Civil Defence Force.

Investigating officials from the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) were also spotted at the location.

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