The dead rise to thirteen in the collapse of a building in Cairo

The authorities detain two people and order to examine the nearby buildings

July 18 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Egyptian authorities have reported this Monday that the death toll from the collapse of a building in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, has increased to thirteen people, after hours of search and rescue work at the scene.

Among the rubble is at least one person and another five have been injured, as indicated by a source from the Civil Defense to the Egyptian newspaper ‘Al Ahram’.

The Prosecutor’s Office has summoned two people in charge, who indicated that the five-story building — built before 1980 — was built without any type of permit. Furthermore, the building was not renovated in subsequent years despite directives to do so.

Likewise, it has ordered the arrest of two people, a resident and a contractor who would have been primarily responsible for the collapse, since they were demolishing the walls of their apartment despite warnings not to do so.

The Cairo Housing Authority has formed a committee to fully examine the property and investigate neighboring buildings to determine whether or not they need to be evacuated.

Hours before this balance, the Minister of Social Solidarity, Nevine el Qabaj, has ordered the payment of 60,000 Egyptian pounds (about 1,730 euros) in compensation to the families of the victims of the event, which comes after several similar incidents in recent weeks.

This weekend four people died –including a minor– due to the collapse of another building in Beheira and another two in Alexandria, in the north of the African country. In said city, one died at the beginning of the month and close to a dozen at the end of June, in separate events of this type, which has raised concerns about the poor condition of buildings in some areas of the country.