Authorities reported that at least nine people were killed after a five-story apartment building fell on Monday in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, while rescue workers dug through the debris.
In Egypt, where poor building practices and a lack of upkeep are pervasive in shantytowns, impoverished metropolitan districts, and rural areas, building collapses are common.
At least nine victims were reportedly found under the building’s debris in Cairo’s Hadaeq el-Qubbah district, around two miles (3.2 kilometers) from the city’s center, according to the state-run MENA news agency.
According to MENA, four survivors were also brought to a hospital, and police also evacuated an adjacent apartment block.
After a preliminary examination, Hossam Fawzi, the deputy governor of Cairo, claimed that one of the people living on the bottom level had knocked down a lot of walls while performing earlier repairs. He stated that the man had been taken into custody and would be looked into.
According to the Egyptian Ministry of Social Solidarity, the nine victims’ families would get $1,940 (60,000 Egyptian pounds). The ministry added that it was keeping an eye on the damage being done to surrounding houses and would provide aid to the injured.
Local sources state that police officers surrounded the area as rescue workers searched the wreckage for any survivors.
After decades of slack enforcement, the government has tried to take action against illegal building in recent years.
In order to rehouse residents residing in high-risk locations, authorities are also constructing new cities and communities.
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