The death toll after the collapse of a residential building in the Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria has risen to four. At least four other people were injured. The owner and contractor of the building have been arrested. They are charged with manslaughter and building without a permit.
Rescue work continued on Tuesday afternoon, state-run news website Al-Ahram reported. Rescue workers had been searching for survivors under the rubble since the 13-story building collapsed Monday morning.
Even before collapse “vertical fissure”
Alexandria governor Mohammed al-Sharif had previously said a “vertical fissure” appeared in the building before it collapsed. Apparently there was no permit for the construction of the top floor, which is why there was already a demolition order for it. According to Al-Sharif, the house was built in the 1970s.
It is not uncommon for buildings to collapse in Egypt. In the North African country, countless buildings are built every year without a permit. Builders often violate technical safety requirements. One of the reasons for this is the careless supervision of the authorities.
Illegal buildings: a deadly problem
In recent years, the government has increasingly tried to act against illegal construction. In Egypt alone, more than a dozen people died in similar tragic circumstances this year before Monday’s collapse.
Source: Krone
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