Number of collapsed buildings in Tehran rises

Four people, including two police officers, were killed in an incident of building collapse during a demolition operation in southeastern Tehran on Sunday, according to a new toll reported by the Iranian news agency "Tasnim" on Monday.

Media outlets had reported on Sunday evening that three police officers were killed, and 11 civilians were injured in the incident.

"Tasnim" clarified on Monday that "four people lost their lives," and noted that two policemen were among the victims.

On Sunday, the "ISNA" agency stated that police officers were present at the site "to support municipal workers" of Tehran who were tasked with demolishing "several unauthorized residential buildings."

The capital's police stated that five buildings collapsed suddenly during the operation "due to non-compliance with construction safety procedures."

Meanwhile, "Tasnim" reported on Monday that the spokesperson for the firefighting teams, Jalal Maleki, stated that "our colleagues are still working at the scene" due to the possibility of "another person being trapped under the rubble."

According to "Tasnim," authorities may take measures to "detain some individuals involved in unsafe and illegal construction activities" related to the collapsed buildings.

On Saturday, an official in Tehran's municipality confirmed that over 46,000 unlicensed buildings were demolished during the past two years, as reported by the municipality-affiliated daily newspaper "Hamshahri."

In May 2022, the collapse of a building under construction in the city of Abadan (southwest Iran) resulted in the death of 43 people.

This catastrophe sparked a series of protests in the country in solidarity with the victims' families and in condemnation of the authorities accused of corruption and inefficiency.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFP