DART Rescue update

"OPERATION LION HEART" SCDF Rescue Contingent Recovers 5 Bodies at Hongbai Town [adapted from www.scdf.gov.sg]

The SCDF Lion Heart Contingent to China, deployed after the 12 May 2008 Sichuan quake, has been assigned to conduct search and rescue operations at Hongbai town, 50 km northwest of Shifang. Working with information provided by the local authorities, the 55-member contingent carried out search operations at 10 sites throughout yesterday and today. The contingent’s first day of operations after arrival on 16 May 08 saw the extrication of 3 female casualties from a site on the east side of the town. Operations today have seen the contingent uncovering another 2 victims in the same town, making the total number of victims extricated by the team to 5 so far. Operations on 17 May 2008 Operations on 17 May 2008 began at 0745 hrs. The first body was recovered at 2015hrs by the DART specialists using hydraulic spreaders, with the help of local heavy plant operators. The extrication of the body which was found at a partially collapsed 4-storey school building took 40 minutes. The search was supported by the rescue dog team. At an area opposite the first find, separated by a railway track, the body of another woman was recovered from a collapsed structure at 2330 hrs. She was extricated from piles of concrete slabs and debris within 20 minutes. At 2100hrs, the Chinese military personnel also discovered a half buried body of a Chinese woman and requested for assistance from SCDF to recover the body. The victim was extricated after 20 minutes with the use of hydraulic spreaders. Operations on 18 May 2008 Operations conducted this morning at the same town also resulted in the SCDF rescue contingent finding 2 other casualties from amongst ruins of the earthquake. The first body of a female Chinese was found at 1100 hrs at the 2nd storey of a partially collapsed 5-storey building. She was extricated at 1120 hrs. The second body of a male Chinese was found at 4pm and extricated within 30 minutes. He was found at the 2nd storey of a 4-storey building. The search and rescue operations by the contingent is still on-going. Besides search and rescue operations, the SCDF medics have also been approached by the local residents for medical aids and treatment.