Rescue Operation Underway after Tehran Blazing Building Collapse
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – One day after the collapse of a blazing high-rise building in downtown Tehran, rescue teams continue searching for the firefighters trapped under the rubble.
The removal of a number of bulky metal structures in a mass of rubble on Friday morning gave some hope to the families of more than 20 firemen stuck under the debris.
Plans for digging underground tunnels from a nearby area to save the men trapped in the basement of the Plasco building have proved futile.
The rescue operation is hampered mainly by the metal facing of the building, which has limited access to the inner parts.
On Friday morning, a firefighter that had been admitted to hospital with serious burns succumbed to his injuries.
Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said between 20 to 25 people are believed to have been trapped under the rubble.
A massive fire broke out in the top stories of the building at around 8 a.m. on Thursday morning, and the whole building crumpled to the ground four hours later.
The 17-story structure was inaugurated in 1962 and named after a plastics manufacturing company. It was the tallest building in the city at the time of its construction. It included shopping centers and clothing workshops.
Tehran’s Deputy Governor General for Security Affairs Mohsen Hamedani told Tasnim on Thursday that an electrical fault was to blame for the massive blaze that led to collapse of the building.
