Rangoon (Mizzima) – The 180-foot high Danoke pagoda in Dala Township, which was being renovated, collapsed on Saturday afternoon leaving many injured including naval personnel from the Irrawaddy Naval base.

The pagoda located on Dala-Letkhokekone Road collapsed while renovation work on its bell and bell-shaped structure was underway.

The hospital staff in Rangoon General Hospital’s Emergency Ward said that at least 30 patients were admitted in the ward. Some patients were admitted to Dala and Twante hospitals, he said.

“The incident occurred at about 2 p.m. yesterday when we were climbing the scaffold. I heard a deafening noise and I looked up and saw the structure had collapsed from the bell-shaped structure and the portion above it. I clambered to the ground immediately and saved myself. One of our five-member group, was admitted to the emergency ward,” a painter who escaped death narrowly said.

According to survivors, the pagoda collapsed starting from the bell-shaped structure and then within a few minutes the whole structure came down completely.

“There were about 54 volunteer naval personnel at the renovation site. There were about 100 people at the work site including villagers and scaffolding workers. The pagoda started to collapse when the scaffolding workers were dismantling and removing their scaffold from the bell-shaped structure. There were countless injured persons at the construction site. We had to take the people and rush them to the hospital immediately in the available cars,” a painter said.

There were Saya Khin Nyein -- two persons from the pagoda trustee and two army officers supervising the renovation when the pagoda collapsed.

“Seventeen sailors have arrived here so far. The injured are still coming in. We are not sure of the total number of injured persons. Some of them were admitted in Dala and Twante hospitals,” a Naval Sergeant, who is attending to the patients in Rangoon General Hospital Emergency Ward said at about 7 p.m. local time.

It is learnt that most of the patients are navy volunteer workers, mainly from the No. 36 naval force. After emergency treatment at RGH, they are being transferred to No. 2 Army Hospital.

The pagoda was damaged by Cyclone Nargis and was being renovated. The umbrella hoisting ceremony was held on May 8.

“A rumour circulating among local Dala people says according to a dream ousted Gen. Khin Nyunt had, the pagoda must be renovated by a team led by a woman. And then the rumour also said that this dream also predicted there would be an accident when the umbrella is hoisted. My husband went only today for volunteer work and now he is injured. Both his legs are broken,” the wife of an injured local villager told Mizzima.