First body recovered from MRT concrete span collapse in Kota Damansara

The victim has been identified as Mohammad Elahi Hossain, 26, a Bangladeshi national whofell to his death after the span had dislodged from its piers and fallen on the ground which construction of the parapet was being carried out on the guide way, MRT said in a statement issued yesterday.

The other two workers are Bangladesh nationals, Mohammad Farouk Khan and Mohammad Alauddin Mollik.

No members of the public were involved in the incident as there was no access to the site, said MRT Corp in a statement issued yesterday.

According to Selangor Fire Department deputy director Mohd Sani Harul, rescue efforts are focused on retrieving the other two Bangladeshi workers who are believed to have trapped under a 300-tonne concrete span at the site.

The span, which was made up of 14 units of segmented box girders, was 38m in length and weighed 490 tonnes.

MRT Corp Chief Executive Officer Datuk Wira Azhar Abdul Hamid who was at the site expressed deep regret over the incident.

“Although investigations are underway, MRT Corp assumes full responsibility for the incident. Once investigations are completed, action on those responsible will be taken,” he said in a statement.

A fire and rescue department spokesman when contacted by Bernama, said the search and rescue operation, which include the K-9 unit would go on until the bodies, if any was found.

“We are now using tunneling method by digging the site because the span is too heavy and long to lift,” said the spokesman.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said he was shocked and saddened to hear about the accident and urged an immediate investigation into the matter.