A nine-storey hotel under construction collapsed in Angeles City, near Manila, killing at least four people. Up to 70 people were employed at the construction site, though most had gone home for the weekend.
Rescue operations were hampered by high temperatures, a lack of proper equipment, and an unstable structure. Although thermal scans showed signs of breathing and heartbeats beneath the debris, and two workers were initially pulled from the rubble alive, both later died of their injuries.
Rescue teams have since ended operations with several people still believed to be trapped in the debris. Authorities revealed that the project had previously been suspended over safety violations before work resumed last year.