Death Toll Rises to Four After Binaliw Landfill Collapse in Cebu
Four confirmed dead after a collapse at Binaliw landfill in Cebu City; rescuers search for dozens missing amid unstable debris and await a 50-ton crane.
Overview
The Binaliw landfill in Cebu City collapsed on Thursday while about 110 workers were on site, damaging administrative structures and facilities within the privately operated dump.
Officials have confirmed four deaths, with 12 injured hospitalized and more than 30 people still unaccounted for; earlier reports varied between 27 and 38 missing.
Rescuers including police, firefighters and disaster teams are excavating amid unstable, combustible refuse; signs of life were detected and crews await a more advanced 50-ton crane.
Councilors and officials point to poor waste management and cutting into soil to pile garbage as likely causes; concerns include methane, toxic gases and risk of further collapses.
Authorities are coordinating search, emergency care and plans to address looming collection backlogs while investigating the privately run site's practices and any regulatory failures.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the landfill collapse as urgent and symptomatic of systemic negligence by using evocative language ("avalanche of garbage," "racing against time"), foregrounding officials and survivor testimonies, and adding historical context (2000 Quezon City disaster). Industry/operators' perspectives are underrepresented, shifting emphasis toward failings in waste management and public safety.
Sources (12)
FAQ
Authorities have not identified a single confirmed cause yet, but local officials have cited poor waste management practices, cutting into soil to pile more garbage, and conditions resembling an illegal open dumpsite as likely factors; investigators are also looking at how rain and ground instability may have contributed.
Officials have confirmed four deaths and at least 12 injured workers pulled from the debris, while more than 30 people remain unaccounted for out of about 110 workers who were on site when the landfill collapsed.
Rescuers are working on unstable, shifting garbage that can trigger further collapses and fires, with risks from methane and other toxic or combustible gases, so they must carefully control access while awaiting heavy equipment like a 50-ton crane to safely remove large volumes of debris.
The landfill is privately operated by Prime Integrated Waste Solutions (also referred to as Integrated Waste Inc.), and investigators are examining alleged violations of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, including practices akin to open dumping, as well as possible lapses by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in monitoring and enforcing regulations.
With operations at the Binaliw facility suspended during search and recovery, authorities are preparing contingency plans to handle an impending backlog of garbage collection and are considering alternative disposal or transfer options while the site and its environmental compliance are under review.
History
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3 sources