SAO BUILDING COLLAPSE: TALES OF HEROISM, TRAGEDY AND HOPE

A Khon Kaen electrician who survived the State Audit Office building collapse last week thanks his bosses, a husband and wife couple, who were on the 27th floor, for his good fortune.

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Mr Phiraphon “Pao” Mowiang, 30, said the couple sent him and their daughter Araya, 22, who also worked with them, down to the ground floor on an errand just before the building collapsed.

They asked him to fetch a water jug, and Araya, who also survived, to fetch some tools.

They were about to take them back up in the lift when they heard cement cracking from the rear of the building as it started to fall.

Mr Phiraphon and his daughters’ daughter were among the lucky workers able to flee from the structure as it came down. Many did not, and are still trapped beneath the rubble.

He said the clouds of dust thrown up as they ran for their lives made it hard to breathe. The fleeing workers also had to beat down a corrugated fence which threatened to block their escape.

His bosses are Damrong Phon-glumjit, 40, and Ornuma Khae-glumjit, 39, both from Chum Phae district in Khon Kaen.

Ornuma’s body was found in the rubble on Tuesday and the body taken back to Chum Phae for the funeral on Friday.

Her husband, Mr Damrong, is still missing, as is their son-in-law, Jetsada “Fas” Sonchai, 21, who was Araya’s partner and also part of their work team.

Mr Damrong and Ornuma hired building as it was collapsing, along with his girlfriend.