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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Iran high rise collapses - dozens dead
2017-01-19
from AlJaz inside is a link to PressTV which has video of the collapse
The 17-storey building dated from the early 1960s and had a shopping centre and clothing workshops inside [AFP]

At least 20
later 30
firefighters have died after a major commercial building in Iran's capital, Tehran, collapsed following a huge fire, according to the city's mayor.

The confirmation of the death toll by Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf came after conflicting casualty reports earlier on Thursday, with some state media outlets initially reporting dozens of deaths but later backtracking.

Firefighters battled the blaze for several hours before the building, just north of the capital's sprawling bazaar, fell. Police tried to keep out shopkeepers and others wanting to rush back in to collect their valuables.

The building came down in a matter of seconds, shown live on state television, which had begun an interview with a journalist at the scene. A thick plume of brown smoke rose over the site after the collapse.
Posted by:lord garth

#8  As a former volunteer firefighter, it breaks my heart to read of the firefighters' deaths. I hate to hear of that anyplace. It's a hard and dangerous job. My deepest sympathies to their families.
Posted by: Barbara   2017-01-19 23:28  

#7  Let's just wait for Rosie O'Donnell's metallurgical analysis, please.
Posted by: Grunter   2017-01-19 22:44  

#6  It was built by an Iranian Jew in 1962? Dire revenge warnings to be issued soon.
Posted by: Charles   2017-01-19 22:40  

#5  https://mobile.twitter.com/IraqiSecurity/status/822159252353597441/video/1
Posted by: John Frum   2017-01-19 15:32  

#4  Link to some history of the building
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2017-01-19 13:58  

#3  Used to work construction and it was always amazing what had been done to old buildings.

One of the biggies was running modern plumbing in a turn of the century building by boring pipe sized holes through anything in the way. Imagine how the main carrying beams still worked with a hole 2/3 the width of the beam was cut through it.

Had to abandon a couple of projects cause the damn place would have come down around our ears if someone sneezed.
Posted by: AlanC   2017-01-19 13:04  

#2  probably not construction error as the building has stood for 50 years

but over the years there were numerous changes to the electrical wiring, ventilation, etc.;

also, apparently, flammable material was stored all over the place with minimal or no sprinklers or smoke detectors
Posted by: lord garth   2017-01-19 12:09  

#1  So possibly not another case of insh'Allan construction collapse, but casualties due to people running into a burning building to rescue stuff, then the fire didn't melt the steel and the CIA-placed explosives were detonated.
Posted by: Glenmore   2017-01-19 11:39  

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