Egypt: High-rise building collapses, 25 dead

The building, built five years ago, contains 24 apartments, said city police official Abdel-Mawgood Lutfi.

At the time of the accident (morning of January 16), most of the tenants were at home. Initial reports said there were 3 dead, then 14... and the latest figure is 25.

Rescue workers rushed to the scene, using machines to dig through the rubble in search of survivors, while nearby buildings were evacuated as a precaution.

Rescue workers dig at the scene - Photo: BBC

The cause of the accident is not yet clear, but governor Mohammed Abbas Atta told the state-run Egyptian News Agency that the building was built without permission.

The incident comes just a day after a military train carrying new recruits derailed south of Cairo, killing 19 people. The accident sparked protests over the government’s failure to overhaul Egypt’s aging public transport services.

Prime Minister Hisham Qandil visited the scene of the accident but had to leave quickly after angry residents criticised his government for failing to improve rail safety and infrastructure, the BBC reported.

In November last year, a train collided with a school bus near Manfalut, 350km from the capital Cairo, killing 50 students.

According to Tuoi Tre - DT