At least six people have been killed and dozens more injured or missing after a high-rise building under construction in Abadan, southwestern Iran, collapsed.
“Parts of the ten-storey Metropol building in Abadan, Khuzestan Province, collapsed” broadcast on state television. “Six people were killed and another 27 were injured”the same source added.
At least 80 people have been trapped in the rubble, according to the local branch of the Iranian Red Crescent. Specially trained dogs try to spot them.
Surrounded by a thick, gray dust floating in the air, locals and passers-by watched the wreckage of the building. Some were stunned, others screamed in terror, according to television images.
Firefighters, with the help of cranes, were trying to remove the debris and save the trapped.
Other videos posted on social networking sites show the removal of corpses, covered with sheets, while women cry.
Many cars were damaged or completely destroyed by debris that fell on them. In some cases, drivers and passengers inside were trapped.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who is on an official visit to Oman, has instructed rescue teams to “immediately deploy rescue teams and the necessary equipment” to remove the wreckage. broadcast by the Irna agency.
“About 40% of the building was destroyed and there is a risk that the rest will collapse” warned the city governor, Ehsan Abbaspour, who ordered the evacuation of neighboring buildings.
The building was still under construction. The contractor overseeing the work and the owner were arrested, city prosecutor Hamid Maranipour said. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the disaster.
The building was located “on the main, busiest street in the city.” Neighboring buildings house “commercial” activities or “offices”, the television broadcast.
In early 2017, the Plasco building, a 15-storey shopping mall in Tehran, collapsed after firefighters spent hours trying to contain a fire that had broken out there and evacuated it. According to the official report, 22 people, including 16 firefighters, were killed and the damage amounted to about 365 million euros. At least 3,500 people were left unemployed.
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