I'm so sorry, I should have come here to let you all know we are okay. All of mine (including extended family and friends) are accounted for and safe. We were no where near the mall when it happened. However, we were there less than 24 hrs before it happened on those very stairs that the roof crushed. I had passed by that kiosk less than 24 hrs before it happened (we were shopping with our little boy).
We have signs of life in the building (flir thermal images and a machine that can detect breathing tones) but the Ministry of Labor has shut the rescue down despite the signs of life. We had one victim tapping on the pipes in response to call outs (it stopped) as well and our stupid government called it off. We are a mining town, in this town the motto is "dead or alive no man left behind below". I fear we will be experiencing riots, the citizens are in an emotional rage right now. Less than 48 hrs and they gave up with signs of life down below....
I can't put in words how much my heart cries in agony over all of this...I can't wrap my mind around why they would give up with signs of life when far more dangerous situations with NO signs of life were followed through on...it's about to get extremely crazy up here. I fear for safety of my kids being out public because a blind emotional rage in an en masse setting (herd mentality always wins in larger groups) is dangerous. Police already had to stop men of one family from going in there earlier today ... all they wanted was their family member, they were willing to risk their lives for that family member.
We have a unique situation as well. We have members of the deep mining rescue teams here in town (they live here, are here in the community right now) and the government is refusing to let our own mine rescue team members to take a crack at this situation (they are better equipped, have hands on real life experience unlike this heavy urban rescue team who has no real situation experience until now, and are ready and willing at the drop of a dime)... this town is so angry and hurt right now.
For YEARS we've been telling the people who had the power to do something that the mall was unsafe. In fact when it was built it was built unsafe. It should have been town down 15 yrs ago but money talks and walks doesn't it.
As soon as we are able we are moving the bleep out of this town and never looking back. After this whole situation I can't live here. It was handled very poorly and I'm done living in a town where the "powers that be" don't give a dang...