Egypt: High-rise building collapses, 25 dead.

City police official Abdel-Mawgood Lutfi said the building, constructed five years ago, contains 24 apartments.

At the time of the accident (morning of January 16th), most of the tenants were at home. Initial reports said 3 people died, then 14... and the latest number is 25.

Rescue workers quickly arrived at the scene, using excavators to search the rubble for survivors, while nearby buildings were evacuated as a precaution.

Rescue workers dig through the debris at the scene - Photo: BBC

The cause of the accident is not yet clear, but Governor Mohammed Abbas Atta told Egypt's state news agency that the building was constructed without permission.

The incident occurred just one day after a military train carrying new recruits derailed south of Cairo, killing 19 people. That accident sparked protests accusing the government of failing to overhaul Egypt's aging public transport services.

The BBC reported that Prime Minister Hisham Qandil visited the accident site but had to leave quickly after being criticized by angry citizens who said his government had failed to improve railway safety and infrastructure.

Last November, a train collided with a school bus near Manfalut, 350km from Cairo, killing 50 students.

According to Tuoi Tre - DT