Venezuelan security guard rescued after eight days trapped in collapsed mall

A 43‑year‑old security guard, Hernán Alberto Gil Flores, was rescued from the collapsed basement of the Galerías Playa Grande shopping centre in La Guaira, Venezuela, after being trapped for eight days following last week’s devastating earthquakes. The quake‑hit coastal city suffered two powerful shocks that collapsed the mall’s structure, burying workers and shoppers alike. Rescue teams found Gil Flores in a small pocket of air inside his workstation cabin, a fortuitous cavity that kept him alive until the operation was completed.

During the rescue, Gil Flores reportedly told rescuers not to inform his wife in case he did not survive, a plea that underscored the personal stakes of the operation. International aid teams, including members of the Venezuelan National Guard and foreign emergency responders, worked through the night to extricate him and other survivors. The successful extraction drew cheers from the multinational crew, highlighting the coordinated effort to save lives amid widespread devastation.

The incident underscores the severe impact of the twin earthquakes on infrastructure and the importance of rapid, coordinated rescue operations. Gil Flores’s survival, after eight days underground, offers a rare glimpse of hope for the many residents and workers still trapped or missing in the wake of the disaster.