Tehran: At least 11 people were killed after a building collapsed on Tuesday in southwestern Iran. More people are feared to be buried under the debris, keeping in mind that the rescue operation is being carried out. Authorities have arrested the city’s mayor as part of a comprehensive investigation into the incident. An under-construction 10-story tower in the Metropole building collapsed on Monday. The incident has also underscored the ongoing crisis in Iranian construction projects.
Early video of the building collapse on Monday showed dust blowing over Abadan, an important oil-producing city in Khuzestan province, near the Iranian border with Iraq. The Metropole building had two towers, one built earlier and the other under construction. However, its lower stories were built and tenants were living there.
On Tuesday, an emergency official interviewed on an official television channel said that around 50 people were inside the building when the building collapsed. Officials had earlier said that at least 39 people were injured in the incident, most of them with minor injuries.
