7 family members, one other die in Cairo building collapse

Eight people, including seven members of one family, were killed in Cairo on Monday when a residential building in Egypt’s capital collapsed.

A statement issued by the public prosecution said the building in the city’s Hadayek al-Qubba district “completely collapsed”, killing eight people.

“Civil defence workers pulled out nine people, among them an injured woman, while the eight others were deceased,” the prosecution added.

It noted that “another five were able to leave the property before it fell down”.

It said the woman and two residents gave testimony “suggesting that the collapse was caused by a resident who recently knocked down walls in his first-floor flat”, despite neighbours asking him not to do so.

The prosecution ordered the arrest of the building’s owner, the contractor in charge of the works, and one of his employees for questioning.

Government newspaper, Al-Ahram, quoting a resident of the area in Cairo, reported that seven members of one family had been killed.

Egypt has seen a number of deadly building collapses in recent years, both because of the poor state of some and also because of non-compliance with building and town-planning regulations.

The Star

Segun Ojo