Cairo building partially collapses leaving four dead

Rescue workers still searching for possible survivors

Egyptian rescue workers inspect the site of a three-storey building that collapsed in Roud Al Farag, Cairo, on Monday, February 15 2021. The authorities said at least three people died. EPA

An apartment building in Cairo partially collapsed overnight, killing at least three people, Egyptian officials said on Monday.

By late morning, rescue workers were still searching for possible survivors trapped under the rubble of the two-storey building in the Roud El Farag district of the Egyptian capital.

A fire engine ladder was used as rescuers tried to enter the part of the building that was still standing.

The three dead were all from one family, the state-run Al-Ahram daily newspaper reported.

An injured 6-year-old child was pulled from under the rubble and taken to hospital, the officials said.

Police cordoned off the area, blocking access to onlookers and those who were apparently looking for relatives in the building.

It was not immediately clear what had caused the collapse. It is not uncommon for buildings to fall down in Egypt, where shoddy construction is widespread in shantytowns, poor districts and rural areas. In December, five people were killed when a block of flats collapsed in Alexandria.

With property at a premium in big cities such as Cairo and Alexandria, developers seeking bigger profits frequently flout planning permits. Extra floors are often added without proper permits.

The government has recently launched a crackdown on illegal construction across the country, jailing and fining people who break the law, and in many cases demolishing the buildings.