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Cheers and applause as security guard rescued from rubble

Hernan Gil, a 43-year-old security guard, was rescued on Thursday after being trapped for eight days in the rubble of a building that collapsed after twin earthquakes in Venezuela.

Published July 2, 2026, 2:09 PM
Updated July 2, 2026, 2:59 PM1.0K
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Cheers and applause as security guard rescued from rubble

A man has been rescued alive after being trapped for eight days in the rubble of a building that collapsed after twin earthquakes in Venezuela.

Emergency workers managed to free Hernán Gil more than 100 hours after they had first located him under 140 tonnes of rubble.

Almost 2,300 people are confirmed to have died in the quakes which hit Venezuela on 24 June, and tens of thousands are still missing.

Hundreds of rescuers had been working against the clock to free Gil since he was found on Saturday.

Teams from Venezuela, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Portugal and the United States helped to free him.

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