ROSTOV-ON-DON, December 13 (RIA Novosti) – Five people were killed in a building collapse in the southern Russian city of Taganrog on Thursday evening, the regional investigation department said.
“Five construction workers died in the collapse,” investigators said in a statement.
Two walls and a ceiling collapsed in the four-storey building under construction in Taganrog. Rescuers who arrived at the scene pulled 15 people from the rubble. Three of survivors succumbed to their injuries shortly after being rescued. Two more died in hospital.
About a dozen people remain in hospital. Most of them sustained life-threatening injuries.
Nine people are believed to be trapped under the rubble. A total of 296 people and 59 vehicles are involved in rescue efforts. An Il-76 with 23 rescuers is being prepared for takeoff from Moscow’s Ramenskoye airfield.
“Most likely, the collapse was caused by violation of construction technologies,” said Veronika Silina, a spokeswoman for the regional ministry of construction and architecture.
A criminal case was launched into possible safety violations during the construction work. A special team of investigators was set up to look into the circumstances of the accident.