How to Protect Yourself in Case of Building or Construction Collapse

A construction site in Shunyi district fell into the ground last Sunday, leaving three people stuck in the debris. The rescuing team, consisting of four fire engines and 24 members, quickly rushed to the scene as soon as they got the emergency call.

Once on-site, rescuers found that one victim buried in a shallow and relatively safe area, but the situation was a lot more complicated for the other two: one was in a kneeling position, trapped by thousands of pounds of dirt down his knees, and another was half-buried under the ground, with his mouth and nose covered in blood, clearly suffering from a severe injury.

The rescue team feared that if they could not pull the man out of the wreckage in a timely manner, the man's life might be in critical danger. They jumped into action right away. 

As you probably have noticed, Beijing has seen an enormous amount of heavy rain this year, doubling the odds of collapses of buildings or construction sites. As such, it's important for all Beijingers to consider how you can better protect yourself in such situations. Below, we've taken some tips from a fire control center in Mianyang, Sichuan that might come in handy when you find yourself in an emergency. 

Stay calm

Be extra careful when you are moving your body to avoid being hit by larger debris. Always stay calm. Cover your mouth and nose to prevent dust inhalation when you can.

Make noise

Tap on water pipes or gas pipes or whatever objects around you to make noise in order to be heard. This way, you have a better chance of being found by the rescuers.

The bigger, the closer

Bigger objects are less likely to be crushed and large gaps are often found around these objects. Get as close as you can to them if you’re at risk of becoming trapped!

Get under a bed

If you happen to be on your bed when a building collapses, you can go right under your bed to seek protection.

Stay away from stairs

Avoid stairwells as they are the most vulnerable parts of a building.

Prop up and support

Use bricks, wood, or any other sturdy object available to support any object that might collapse and fall.

READ: Workers' Stadium Flattened as Deconstruction Gets Underway | the Beijinger

Images: Unsplash, Weibo