I have spent my past four years working and studying on tunnelling and trenching collapsed multi-storey buildings. I also have experiences from the site from two major earthquakes in 1999. All I can tell you is that your chance of survival is only luck and coincidance supported with steel nerves. I have seen people crushed by fridges or washing machines in one site and others which have been saved by furniture or kitchen appliances on the other one. Once we rescued a 86 year old lady from a pan-caked 7 storey building. The heavy wardrobe opened and fell on the bed she was lying covering the bed and leaving her unhurt. Just few blocks away I have found another casulty slammed to the wall with the washing machine. In another case we saw a collapsed dining hall with the roof standing on the tables. The roof fell down killing all those standing up and left the fallen ones un-touched.

The triangle of life is just a theory that would apply some cases. I wouldn't say it is wrong but neither would say is true in all cases.

There is never a real way or scientific explination to survive in building collapse. There are many variables in the equation. When you are hit by an EQ everything around you begins to move. You cannot run or walk properly and it is almost impossible to reach your target without being dis-oriented.

I have experienced after-shocks in collapsed or semi-collapsed buildings and all you can do is make yourself smallest possible and cover your head and don't move unless it is real certain that you can make it to outside.

In Golcuk (1999) one building collapsed 15 minutes after we finished our job in it. So knowing what is inside and seeing what state it becomes after collapsing I know there is no way I would survive.

In most of the buildings that did not collapse after a major EQ you find the contents of the house are fiercely smashed into walls and nothing stays where it is.

If you want to make a plan for surviving a collapsed building there is no major one that applies to most (not saying all).

Also the credibility of ARTRI is another question.

Hope nobody ever needs to try,

Burak Birhekimoglu MICDDS
Int. Rescue Officer British Civil Defence
TASK Team Ldr. and SRI Instructor Istanbul