Day 6
12:10PM
6.00AM
Work was stopped last night at 9PM when the cave became too dangerous. Looks like the VOB report of all bodies found was premature, there is fourth body which has been sighted that means there is one more body to be located. Excavation is expected to recommence at 7AM this morning. (see Nation Report)
Day 5
9.00PM:
Voice of Barbados (VOB) is reporting that all the bodies may have been recovered. The nation is waiting on what is expected to be the final press briefing from Minister Marshall.
7.00PM:
According to the latest report a third unidentified body has been extracted from the rubble and a fourth body has been sighted. In the latest press briefing Minister Joe Atherley confirmed that Cabinet this evening gave the green light for a comprehensive risk assessment geo-technical study to be carried out in the immediate area and beyond. Minister Barney Lynch announced that an emergency fund has been established at Barbados National Bank and a number of Trustees named to manage the fund. No decision has been made regarding the reopening of the two schools (St.Cyprians and St.Pauls) in the area. Looks like after the Cabinet this evening Minister Marshall’s branding of the area Ground Zero was vetoed and replaced with Hot Spot!
Work continues under the threat of bad weather which has been forecasted.
6.00PM:
The recovery effort has been hampered by rain and equipment breakdown, the cave has also become increasingly unstable. The recovery effort has recommenced in the late evening and BU remain hopeful that the remaining three bodies will be found soon.
1.05AM:
Voice Of Barbados (VOB) have reported that two bodies have been found, a male child and an adult female (subject to confirmation from the forensics team). Minister Dale Marshall in his report to the Press on location has also advised that recovery efforts have had to be stalled because of unstable conditions in the cave. At the early hour of this report there is ongoing discussion on how the Recovery Team should proceed given the current conditions; reports also indicate that the Rescue Team has had to dig almost 65 feet to recover the bodies in what has been described by the Miami Search and Rescue Unit two days ago as a very unstable environment in which to work. Again, BU extend our sympathy to the family and friends of the Codrington family, and also wish to remember all those families who have had to be displaced because of this tragic circumstance at Arch Cot, Brittons Hill, St. Michael.
An emotional account of a visit to “ground zero” by Barbadian Blogger Cheeze-on-bread gives a chilling insight to proceedings at the not too long ago sub-urban village:
The sad story of Arch Cot
Well, we’ve moved into day four of the Arch Cot, Brittons Hill tragedy. After praying that the Codrington family would be found alive, I’m now hoping that the bodies of the five members of the Codrington family will be recovered so that their family can have closure to this tragic event.
After spending several hours at Brittons Hill yesterday, I just wanted to make some observations and ask some questions:
[Read More]
Source: Cheese-on-bread
BU will continue to provide updates to the thousands of concerned persons who are logging-on to Bajan blogs and other sites from around the world.
Day Four
The significant part of Day 4 was spent stabilizing and preparing the cave for the extraction of the bodies of the Codrington family presumed to be dead. Two large boulders which were a threat to the safety of rescuers were finally removed. Minister Dale Marshall in a late evening press conference advised that “the rescuers were entering what is the most challenging psychological part of this recovery effort. We have given them ideas of what they can expect and we hope that our efforts are successful”. The Rescue Team is currently removing rubble from the cavern.
Source:VOB929.com
Also see video of the destruction of the building which the Codrington apartment was attached located on a cave.
All Barbadians begin to prepare to enter the next phase of mourning which the extraction of the bodies will no doubt trigger.It is a mental state which they are becoming use to in the month of August 2007.
Day Three
Picture submitted by a reliable friend. The picture was taken by Steve Sandy, it shows construction or excavation works going on in the area immediately behind(?) the collapse. From what little I’ve heard and know, the construction or excavation was in progress before the collapse Source Pull! Push!
It is Day Three and the recovery effort to find the bodies of the Codrington family (Donavere 30, Cassandra 27, Shaquanda 7, Shaquille 3, Yashiro 1) will move forward in earnest. The partially collapsed apartment building was deliberately knocked down yesterday evening (Monday) to remove the threat to the rescue team. Barbadians are this morning full in the realization that the family is dead. The cadaver dog utilized by the Miami Dade Search and Rescue Unit sniffed two areas in the cavity where dead bodies are possibly located. Minister Dale Marshall in a press conference late on Day 2, he confirmed that two large boulders are currently slowing down the rescue effort and plans are afoot to deal with the problem.
Here is a link which shows some pictures of the rescue effort taken from Local10.com website.
Day Two
A rescue team from the Miami Dade county coordinate their help in the search for a family of five that is missing after their apartment complex collapsed in the St. Michael parish near Bridgetown, Barbados, in the early hours of Monday, Aug. 27, 2007. The apartment complex began collapsing early Sunday and one unit fell about 50 feet into a cave, Barbados Attorney General Dale Marshall said.
Minister Dale Marshall and Prime Minister Owen Arthur confirmed what the nation did not want to hear at a Press Conference this evening. The sophisticated equipment used by the Miami Dade Search and Rescue Unit which flew in last night confirmed that they have detected no signs of life in the cavity. What BU suspect was a very hard decision was made to switch from rescue to recovery mode. As we write this update the recovery effort has been hindered because of the instability of the wall of the cavern in the area. Steps are being taken to accelerate the collapse of the unstable area.
Source:VOB929.com
Our country mourns for the Codrington family.
Day One
It has been just over 10 hours since the report of a building which collapsed into a cave in Brittons Hill, St. Michael. It seems from all reports coming from the PR officer of the Barbados Police Force that it will be a long rescue complicated by a roof blocking the effort. Barbados Free Press and Pull! Push! have been facilitating comments from the public who are expressing their concern for those missing and to the concerned family and friends.
BU take this opportunity to express our hope that all the occupants are rescued safely. Our heart especially goes out to the children thought to be covered deep under the ground.
The current situation has driven someone who is described as Erica Hall B.Sc. Civil Engineer, to submit the following document extracted from the FEMA website which details how the area where buildings with suspected structural defects are located should be efficiently managed. They have asked that the information should be sent to the rescue personnel involved at the Brittons Hill site if at all possible. This accident is similar to the 6 coal miners currently trapped in Utah as we write.
Our thanks to Bajan Reporter for forwarding the information.
Barbados Underground 
Anonymous,
YOU ASKED: “If that is where the sniffer dog indicated how are they going to accurately know where the other 3 bodies are?”
YOU ASKED: “How far down under the rubble was it possible for the dogs to smell?”
The rubble is being removed by hand now, since they have reached the (highest) level where the bodies are located.
That pile of rubble DOES have a bottom, you know.
Two more bodies have been found today, and at least one of them was recovered.
BFPE.
David, The ruling party has sadly and poorly used this sad event as a media get me votes ploy.
The question you ask about Lynch and Atherley is valid but here again get me in front of the camera and it will get me some votes.
When will we learn that this is neither the time nor place to make this a vote catching event.
Wishing in Vain,
You have TRIED DESPERATELY and FAILED to turn the deaths of the Codringtons into a political opportunity for yourself.
The best you can do now is shut your mouth and stop LYING.
What Barbados has seen at Brittons Hill is a government that acts with responsibility and a government that cares.
The report from Brittons Hill exposes more of your foolish LIES.
http://cheese-on-bread.blogspot.com/2007/08/sad-story-of-arch-cot-brittons-hill.html
BFPE.
Five days to remove bodies from this location?
Stopping work in expectation of rain maybe coming ?
Stopping work because of equipment fatigue ?
Lynch laughing when asked what he would say to the families of the bereaved?
These would be comical were the situation not as serious as this one was.
True and sadly the gov’t Lynch, Owing, Marshall, Prescod saw and have used the coverage of this event purely as a media publicity exercise figuring if you kept the thing ongoing you would have that much more time on the airwaves and press and TV coverage, sad when people opt to use a situation that is as dire as this one was for their own political mileage.
I am certain that they were many that were much better able and equiped to brief the press on latest development rather than a barrage of ministers.
idiots
They sure are idiots !!!
Hooray, Hooray, Hooray, They have just reported that the last body has been retrieved, thank god for that.
Now maybe just maybe the constant bombardment of the public with the insensitive Lynch, Marshall and Prescod with their media grabbing antics will be halted and no more of those hourly photo opportunities.
My compliments to those that worked thru this trying period to retrieve these bodies my only regret that it was bodies that were retrieved instead of living persons, may they rest in peace.
I have been listening with a great deal of interest and my sympathies go out to the families involved. I had hoped you would have shown a more responsible and “partiless” presence during this time. All these arguments and insults are surely beneath you… tsk. As for Noel Lynch… Clearly he was in shock just like the rest of us as nowhere in our recorded history have we seen anything like this in Barbados and the implcations are indeed extremely serious. When you were having your two and three storied homes built, did you take the time to carry out the now obviously necessary seimographic tests? There are many caves, and many people who have either failed to listen to advice or were very naughty indeed. Sleep well tonight all ye merry gentlemen.
Sorry to have interrupted you otherwise mature, erudite and helpful politically inspired prattle. you may now continue.
how far does this cave run does it go past the white house what is going to happen to all the people who live on that particular road not to mention the other crossroads where are all of thoose hundreds of people supposed to go i am a girl , twelve years and i want answers please right now i am not scared but i want to know what is supposed to happen to those people who have been told to move/evacuate i am pleading for answers
i hate make pictures of britton hill