The Tragic Collapse of a Residential Building in Cairo: Nine Dead and the Search for Survivors Continues
CAIRO: At least nine people died on Monday when a five-story residential building in the Egyptian capital collapsed, the Cairo Security Directorate said. Rescue workers were continuing to search the rubble for survivors.
A Tragedy Strikes in Hadayek El-Kobba
It happened in the Makkawi area of Hadayek El-Kobba neighborhood, north of central Cairo, a densely built area of informal housing.
Residents awoke on Monday to the sound of screams from passersby following the collapse. Civil Protection and police officers were dispatched to the site, along with ambulance crews and equipment to help search and remove the rubble.
Illegal Expansion Work and a Load-Bearing Wall
Citing initial inspections of the site, representatives of Cairo governorate said illegal expansion work taking place on the first floor of the building, without a permit, had contributed to the tragedy. A load-bearing internal wall had reportedly been demolished, resulting in the collapse.
The governor of Cairo, Khaled Abdel Aal, said an engineering committee has been set up to investigate the incident. Adjacent buildings were evacuated, and the gas and electricity supplies to them were cut as a precaution until the search and rescue operation is complete and the rubble is removed. The Public Prosecution was taking statements from eyewitnesses.
Aid for the Victims
Social Solidarity Minister Nivine El-Kabbag, in coordination with the governor, authorized the payment of 60,000 Egyptian pounds ($1,940) to the families of those killed in the collapse, along with urgent aid for the injured.
Minister of Local Development Hisham Amna was said to be monitoring the response by the governorate, in coordination with executive agencies, facilities, and the ambulance service, and efforts to clear the rubble and search for survivors.
A Series of Building Collapses
The incident happened just a day after a 10-month-old baby and a 38-year-old man died, and 13 people were injured when an eight-story building collapsed in the city of Rashid (also known as Rosetta) in Beheira governorate, northern Egypt.
In June, at least three people were killed when a 14-story apartment building collapsed in the northern coastal city of Alexandria, and three passersby were injured when two balconies failed in an old building in eastern Alexandria.
In February, two people were killed and 25 injured when a gas cylinder explosion demolished two houses. And in June 2022, at least six people died when a five-story building collapsed in Cairo, causing the partial collapse of two neighboring buildings.
Conclusion
The collapse of the residential building in Cairo is a tragic incident that highlights the dangers of illegal construction and inadequate safety measures. The Egyptian authorities have taken swift action to investigate the cause of the collapse and provide aid to the victims’ families. However, it is crucial for long-term solutions to be implemented to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
Strict enforcement of building regulations, regular inspections, and public awareness campaigns can contribute to ensuring the safety of residents and preventing further tragedies. It is essential for the government and relevant authorities to prioritize the enforcement of construction standards and take proactive measures to address the issue of illegal expansion and unsafe building practices.
By learning from these unfortunate incidents and implementing necessary reforms, Egypt can strive towards a safer and more secure living environment for its citizens.