Iran building death toll reaches 31 as protests continue

Two more bodies were pulled from the rubble of a building that collapsed last Monday in Abadan as unrest continues.

The death toll from a collapsed building in the southwestern Iranian city of Abadan has risen to 31.

Two more bodies had been pulled from the rubble of an under-construction tower that collapsed a week ago, according to news agencies.

Rescue workers were still clearing the debris of the 10-story building and searching for more victims under the toppled part of the Metropol Building. Out of 37 injured people, two remain hospitalized.

Authorities investigating the disaster have detained Abadan’s current and past mayors and several other municipal employees, amid accusations that safety warnings were ignored. So far, 13 people have also been arrested for building violations.

The deadly collapse has raised questions about the safety of similar buildings in the country and underscored an ongoing crisis in Iranian construction projects. The collapse reminded many of the 2017 fire and collapse of the iconic Plasco building in Tehran that killed 26 people.

Protesters took to the streets of Abadan over the past week, leading to eruptions of unrest and clashes with riot police on several occasions.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES