The science behind building construction has come a long way over the years, and today’s buildings tend to be much stronger and sturdier than those that have come before. However, there are still stories of recently-built buildings collapsing unexpectedly, such as the Champlain Towers condo building in Surfside, Florida.
In the wake of that collapse, scientists and engineers have suggested that attitudes towards infrastructure and construction may need to evolve drastically in the years to come in order to prevent similar tragedies from occurring. But this is far from a new phenomenon. Throughout history, mankind has consistently sought to find ways to make buildings better and stronger.
Different methods and materials have been used throughout the ages to protect buildings and safeguard their inhabitants, but it’s only recently, with the advent of modern technology, that big breakthroughs have started to be made. Thanks to these exciting advancements in engineering, the future looks bright for buildings worldwide. Here are some of the top technologies that can help to strengthen buildings and reduce the risk of collapse, earthquake damage, and other events.
Levitating Foundations
For many years, base isolation has been targeted by engineers as a key method to make buildings stronger. It’s all about isolating the substructure of a building from the superstructure above. Recently, Japanese engineers have built on this idea to give us the “levitating foundation”, in which the superstructure of the building is actually supported on a thin layer of air, effectively levitating above its base.
The concept is complex in theory, but relatively simple in action: the building’s base is fitted with a powerful air compressor and a series of sensors. If the sensors detect seismic activity, the air compressor activates, forcing air between the building and its base, lifting the mass of the structure to isolate it from the forces in the ground.
Shock Absorbers
Many people are familiar with the idea of shock absorbers. We often associate them with automobiles, where they are used to absorb the energy of impacts in crashes and collisions, thereby reducing the risk of injury to the people inside the car. Well, shock absorbers can also be used in building construction too, designed to absorb energy from seismic waves. They’re designed to essentially transform kinetic energy into heat energy, via a physical process known as damping.
Shock absorbers, or dampers, can be positioned on the different levels of multi-storey buildings, connected to cylinders filled with oil that can absorb the heat energy. If an earthquake or other seismic event occurs, the dampers push into the oil, transforming the energy of the quake into heat energy and thereby protecting the building.
Replaceable Fuses
Many people rely on fuses around the home in various devices and appliances. These little electrical components serve as a form of protection against electrical fires and overheating appliances; if the current in an electrical circuit gets too high, the fuse blows, breaking the flow of electricity to prevent any further damage or risk.
Well, scientists a Stanford University and the University of Illinois have been looking at ways in which fuses can actually be used to prevent buildings from falling down or getting damaged during earthquakes too. The fuses, made of steel, are positioned between the frames of the building or at the bases of columns of a specially designed, flexible structure. Then, if an earthquake occurs, the fuses are effectively able to absorb seismic energy, and even if they “blow”, they can be replaced quite easily and cheaply.
Carbon Fiber Wraps
In many cases, these new technologies are designed to be incorporated in the construction of brand new buildings, but what if there was a way to protect older buildings from future damages by providing them with some kind of shield or reinforcement against seismic waves and other effects? Well, scientists believe they might have the answer in the form of carbon-fiber wrap.
This special kind of wrap, known as FRP or fiber-reinforced plastic wrap, is made with different types of carbon fibers and binding polymers like epoxy and vinyl ester. It’s a very strong yet lightweight material that can be retrofitted around existing support columns of old buildings, giving them a new level of strength and durability.
Final Word
These are just some of the ways in which modern technologies are changing the game for construction engineering, helping to make current and future buildings safer, stronger, and more reliable than ever before, potentially saving lives and averting disasters in the process.
The owner of the Rana Plaza complex has been charged with murder over the Bangladeshi building’s collapse in 2013, killing more than 1,100 people.
Sohel Rana and more than a dozen government officials are among 42 people to face charges in Bangladesh.
They are accused of ignoring warnings not to allow workers into the building the day before it collapsed.
It was the worst industrial disaster in Bangladesh’s history – and prompted criticism of global retail practices.
The 41 people accused of murder, who include owners of factories housed in the complex and government officials, initially faced charges of culpable homicide.
Prosecutors say that the seriousness of the accident meant that the charges have been upgraded to murder. If convicted, defendants face the death penalty.
Eighteen people, including 17 of those charged with murder, have been charged with building code violation.
Sohel Rana should now appoint a lawyer ahead of the trial process, the prosecution says. A court hearing is due to take place on June 28 to decide further proceedings.
He was arrested days after the disaster as he attempted to flee to India.
The building code violation charges allege that three extra stories were added to the factory.
The factory, in Savar, some 20 miles outside Dhaka, collapsed suddenly on April 24, 2013.
More than 2,500 people were rescued alive, some suffering from terrible injuries.
The disaster drew attention to the poor working conditions in Bangladesh’s garment industry, one of the world’s largest.
Bangladeshi factories provide cheap clothing for major Western retailers, which benefit from the country’s widespread low-cost labor.
At least 19 people have been injured after an explosion caused two buildings to collapse in Manhattan’s East Village.
More than 200 firefighters converged to battle the resulting blaze that affected four buildings.
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said there were no reports of missing persons, but noted that the situation was fluid.
Officials said they believe work was being done to the building’s gas utilities before the blast.
The explosion triggered a fire in a building that housed a sushi restaurant. The blaze then quickly spread to adjacent buildings, officials said.
Emergency dispatchers started received calls reporting the incident around 15:17 local time on March 26 and emergency services were on the scene in about three minutes, city officials said.
The buildings on Second Avenue at East Seventh Street are near New York University and the Washington Square Park area.
Manhattan’s East Village is a neighborhood of small businesses, restaurants and apartments.
Officials remain concerned about the area’s air quality, and told residents to keep their windows closed.
A New York City building has collapsed and another is on fire after an apparent explosion in Manhattan’s East Village.
Emergency services are on the scene and say four people are critically injured, and 12 others were injured.
Flames and smoke pouring out of a five-floor building, and firefighters are spraying the building.
Officials are investigating whether a gas leak is to blame. There were reports of an explosion before the fire.
About 250 fire-fighters are on hand to battle the blaze.
Photo Getty Images
Emergency services started received calls reporting the fire around 15:15 local time.
According to the New York Times, an explosion triggered the fire in one building, which quickly spread to another.
The area in Manhattan’s East Village – close to New York University – is being evacuated.
Firefighters began spraying the flames, but had to retreat after the flames became too intense, the local station reported, local news station WABC reported.
The station said that there are fears that the other building could collapse as well, and it’s not clear if anyone has been trapped in the building or rubble.
The Indian construction industry is one of the biggest industries in the country. According to the latest statistics, the industry contributed more than Rs 6708 billion to the Indian economy in 2011 to 2012. The industry also provides employment to more than 35 million people directly and indirectly all over the country. With a steadily improving economy and a richer middle-class, the industry is expected to double or triple as first time buyers start looking for their own dream homes, states StandardsBis.
The Issue: Building Safety Standards?
Although the industry is profitable, it is fragmented with large nationalized companies, mid-range builders, and small companies and contractors, all vying for a share of the market, according to AsiaConst. According to a recent census, there are about 200 large commercial construction companies, about 120,000 smaller Class A Companies, and several thousand more companies working independently in the construction and associated industries. Although this is good, it also gives rise to a haphazard industry that has no regulation regarding construction standards, pricing, sales procedures, legal disclosures, and the like. Ideally, The National Building Code of India, 1983 (NBC) is applicable all over India and has to be followed by all states. India does have the national building code to provide specifications for every part of a building. Before the building opened for occupation, a building inspector usually checks every part of the building and ensures that safety codes are followed. However, a problem arises here again states Asiaconst.
Apart from the building code, all construction projects are also subject to Central and State laws simultaneously. As a result, building bylaws tend to change with every city and each city has its own nodal agencies like the LDA, the GDA, the KDA, etc. to deal with building permits and verification of building codes. As a result, there is no uniform code applicable on all buildings in India to ensure safe homes built with high-quality materials. These variable construction standards frequently result in shoddy buildings that collapse under the least stress. In fact, according to the TOI, about seven people die in building collapses every year in India.
Builders also have to get individual permissions or building approvals from over 40 different state and Central agencies. These agencies will sanction the use of land, provide land conversion permission, environmental clearance, clearance from the Aviation Authorities, Archaeological Survey Of India, Plan Approval Authority, Pollution Control Board, local police authorities, legal clearance, Central Ground Water Authorities, etc. This may seem complicated but each agency will assess the land and the surrounding area for its feasibility for construction. Most builders spend more than 40 percent of their construction income on acquiring permits but these permits do ensure that the property is built on legally clear land that is safe and environmentally secure. Builders are legally required to follow the NBC, acquire the permits, gain NOCs from the relevant authorities, and then start construction on the project to ensure basic safety measures are meant.
All these permits, building safety requirements, land cost, quality construction materials, professional staff like civil construction staff, architects and engineers, equipment, labor, etc. raise the cost of the building and are transferred to the buyer. As the Indian economy improves, these factors turn more and more expensive resulting in properties that range anywhere from Rs 12, 00,000 to about Rs 5 crore in value, states EngineeringCivil.
For Buyers: Finding Economical and Safe Homes Is an Issue?
As a buyer, you have to be proactive enough to check the licenses and permits acquired by your builder. Ideally, the builder will provide a complete dossier of information on the permits and licenses they have acquired for their project. If you are not sure on how to check the permits, it is a good idea to refer to the IFC Doing Business website for a quick checklist of permits. Another quick way to verify safety standards is by inquiring about loans. Builders who tie up with banks are much more likely to acquire all the safety paperwork well in advance. This is because banks tie up with construction companies to provide mortgages on the property. Before they collaborate with the firm, the bank’s in-house verification team will carry out an intensive check of projects paperwork, licensing, legal and financial status and this is a simpler way to assure yourself of construction quality. Projects like economical homes by Unitech Group tied up with local banks are also likely to be much more affordable due to the automatic local approval process for buyers. If you find the property expensive, it would be a good idea to research other buildings and projects in the area in realtime and online to assure yourself of rates. You can also check with local real estate agents and brokers to ensure you are getting the most economical and safe houses in your favored project.
The North Korean government has apologized for the collapse of an apartment building in Pyongyang last week which is feared to have killed scores of people.
The accident in Pyongyang on Tuesday was reported on Sunday morning by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The news agency said that the collapse happened in the city’s Phyongchon district.
While it is not clear how many people died, some reports say that the “unimaginable” accident could possibly have killed more than 100 residents.
North Korea has apologized for the collapse of an apartment building in Pyongyang which is feared to have killed scores of people
The construction of the apartment block “was not done properly and officials supervised and controlled it in an irresponsible manner”, the news agency said.
Correspondents say that it is extremely rare for North Korea to admit negative news, and the report from the official KCNA news agency included equally rare apologies from top officials.
An “intensive” emergency rescue effort had been carried out to rescue survivors and treat the wounded, it said.
The KCNA did not provide detailed casualty figures or explain the cause of the collapse, but said it had left Pyongyang citizens “greatly shocked”.
A South Korean official, speaking to the AP news agency on condition of anonymity, said the collapsed building was a 23-story apartment complex.
Another unidentified official told Reuters that the building was thought to have held 92 households.
“Hundreds are presumed to be dead, assuming that each family has an average of four members,” he said.
It is not uncommon for residents of partially built apartment blocks in North Korea to move into them before construction officially ends, correspondents say.
A senior Pyongyang official was quoted by KCNA as saying that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un “sat up all night, feeling painful” after being told about the collapse.
It is estimated that about 2.5 million people – mostly top party members or other privileged people – live in Pyongyang.
Pyongyang’s inhabitants are known to have more regular electricity supplies and better access to food, goods and other services compared with those living elsewhere in North Korea.
The body of an eighth victim has been found by rescue teams trapped beneath the rubble of the apartment blocks that collapsed following an explosion in East Harlem, New York City.
Firefighters are trying to find further victims, with the death toll expected to rise.
Police believe a handful of people remained unaccounted for.
More than 60 people were injured after the devastating blast sent debris flying through the air on Wednesday.
Residents were said to have complained recently about “unbearable” gas smells.
Firefighters are trying to find further victims, with the death toll expected to rise at the Harlem explosion site
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, who rushed to the scene in Upper Manhattan, said preliminary information showed the explosion was caused by a gas leak.
A fire at the site of the blast on Park Avenue and 116th Street hampered the initial search and a sinkhole created by a broken water main caused further difficulties.
But firefighters worked through the night on Wednesday, as temperatures dropped to near freezing, to sift through the rubble, using a bulldozer to help clear the site.
Rescue workers pulled three bodies out of the debris in the early hours of Thursday morning, and a seventh death was confirmed just before 08:00 local time.
No details have yet been given of the eighth victim.
Rescuers are now about halfway through clearing the rubble.
The blast shattered windows a block away and rained debris on to nearby railway lines, which closed Grand Central station for several hours on Wednesday.
At least six people are dead, several are missing and dozens are injured in East Harlem buildings collapse after a gas leak sparked a powerful explosion leveled the New York City blocks.
Rescue crews began searching the debris on Wednesday evening for victims after the fire was finally put out.
Train services to and from Grand Central Terminal have been restored after a complete halt earlier.
As the search-and-rescue operation continued under floodlights on Wednesday night, the emergency services confirmed that the death toll had risen first to four, then to five and to six, with several people still missing.
Earlier, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a news conference from the scene that the gas leak had been reported to the utility company 15 minutes before the blast on Wednesday morning.
Bill de Blasio said the “major explosion” had destroyed two buildings and heavily damaged other structures.
East Harlem explosion destroyed two buildings and smashed nearby windows
As night fell, rescue crews were finally able to search for victims in the debris after the fire raged for most of the day.
Heavy equipment, including a bulldozer, helped clear the remnants of two multi-storey buildings. Thermal imaging cameras were brought in to identify bodies or pockets of fire inside the mountain of debris.
The New York fire department said 22 people had been hurt, but a tally of local hospitals by ABC News found that 64 had been admitted with injuries as a result of the incident.
That figure included seven children, one of whom was in a critical condition.
The utility company, Con Edison, says a resident in a nearby building reported smelling gas shortly before the explosion.
Streets and pavements around the site were littered with broken glass from shattered windows.
The blast scattered debris across nearby rooftops, correspondents say, destroying adjoining five-storey buildings in a largely Latino working-class neighborhood.
Witnesses reported the powerful blast knocked items off shelves in nearby stores.
According to New York City authorities, three people have died and nine are missing after a gas leak sparked an explosion which leveled two buildings in East Harlem.
Scores of others have been injured in the incident, which sent smoke billowing into the city sky.
More than 250 firefighters tackled the blaze at the scene near 116th Street and Park Avenue.
Train services to and from Grand Central Terminal have been restored after a complete halt earlier.
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a news conference from the scene that the gas leak had been reported to the utility company 15 minutes before the blast on Wednesday morning.
Bill de Blasio said the “major explosion” had destroyed two buildings and heavily damaged other structures.
The mayor’s office confirmed to the Associated Press news agency that nine people were still missing by early Wednesday evening.
Three people have died and nine are missing after a gas leak sparked an explosion which leveled two buildings in East Harlem
The New York fire department elevated the incident to the highest threat level possible.
The department said 22 people had been hurt, but a tally of local hospitals by ABC News found that 64 had been admitted with injuries as a result of the incident.
That figure included seven children, one of whom was in a critical condition.
The utility company, Con Edison, says a resident in a nearby building reported smelling gas shortly before the explosion.
Streets and pavements around the site were littered with broken glass from shattered windows.
Witnesses reported the powerful blast knocked items off shelves in nearby stores.
Authorities in the area were said to be handing out medical masks to residents due to the thick white smoke at the scene.
At least one person has died in a Park Avenue apartment building collapse following an explosion, NYPD says.
Local TV stations report that 11 people suffered minor injuries in the incident in East Harlem.
Residents heard a blast in the five-storey building at 116th Street and Park Avenue before it caved in.
Residents heard a blast in the five-storey building at 116th Street and Park Avenue before it caved in (photo AP)
All train services in and out of Grand Central terminal have been halted following the incident near its tracks.
The New York fire department has elevated the incident to the highest threat level possible and dispatched 168 members from more than three dozen nearby fire stations to battle the blaze.
The local utility has been called to shut off the gas following the explosion, which damaged windows in the area, reports WABC TV.
A witness told the New York Daily News she had smelled gas “for weeks” before the explosion.
At least 12 people have been killed in the City Light hotel collapse in the southern Indian city of Secunderabad, police says.
At least 18 more people were injured when the two-storey hotel came crashing down on Monday morning.
Police said it was not clear how many people were trapped under the debris at the hotel, located near Hyderabad.
At least 12 people have been killed in the City Light hotel collapse in the southern Indian city of Secunderabad
Correspondents say such incidents are common in India and are often blamed on poor construction practices.
About 25 people were working at the hotel, located on a busy road in Secunderabad, when one of its kitchen walls collapsed, burying some of the employees, senior police official B Surender told the AFP news agency.
“The building was very old and the walls showed cracks, according to people working nearby,” he added.
Last month, nine people were killed in two separate building collapses in the western city of Mumbai.
In April, 74 people were killed in another building collapse on the outskirts of Mumbai.
At least six people have died and other 14 have been hurt after a building collapsed in the centre of the city of Philadelphia, officials say.
A four-storey building fell down, sending debris on to a building housing a bustling Salvation Army shop.
The collapse happened around 10:30 local time in the Center City neighborhood.
Emergency services frantically used their bare hands to rescue 14 people from the rubble of the Salvation Army shop after it came down on the corner of 22nd and Market at 10.45 a.m – the cause is yet unknown.
The building was being demolished, though the cause of the collapse was unknown, officials said.
Early reports said just one person had died, but rescuers continued working into the night.
Mayor Michael Nutter said the dead included five women and one man.
“If anyone else is in that building, they will find them,” he said.
Apartment building collapses on top of Philadelphia thrift store killing six people
Thirteen people were taken to hospital suffering minor injuries, Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said.
Late on Wednesday, a 61-year-old woman was pulled alive from the rubble to become the 14th known survivor.
The four-storey building had both commercial and residential spaces.
Several witnesses said they had been concerned about the way the demolition was being carried out prior to the collapse.
“We’ve been calling it for the past week – it’s going to fall, it’s going to fall,” window washer Dan Gillis told the Associated Press.
Earlier, witnesses said they had heard a loud rumbling sound immediately beforehand.
“I was standing there looking out my window, watching the men at work on the building, and the next thing I know I heard something go kaboom,” Veronica Haynes, who was in an apartment building nearby, said.
“Then you saw the whole side of the wall fall down… on to the other building.”
Bernie Ditomo told a local NBC he was driving on a nearby street when he felt something “like an earthquake”.
“I said, <<What the hell is going on?>>,” Bernie Ditomo said.
“My truck is totalled. I am a little dusty and dirty, but I’m alright. I am one of the lucky ones.”
High school student Jordan McLaughlan said he saw several people on the ground being given oxygen by rescuers after the collapse as the air filled with dust.
Authorities asked news helicopters to clear the air over the scene so rescuers could hear people trapped under the rubble.
“This is delicate, it is dangerous work,” Lloyd Ayers said.
A woman, named Reshma, has been pulled alive from the ruins of a building that collapsed in a suburb of Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, 17 days ago.
The head of the fire service earlier said Reshma had been found in the remains of the second floor of the eight-storey Rana Plaza.
Reshma had no serious injuries and had been talking with rescuers, he added.
The dramatic news came after the army said more than 1,000 people were now known to have died in the disaster.
Reshma has been found in the remains of the second floor of the eight-storey Rana Plaza in Dhaka
The death toll is expected to keep climbing, as work crews using heavy machinery have begun removing rubble from the worst-damaged areas.
On Friday afternoon, army officers ordered workers to stop clearing the site when Reshma’s cries were heard. Officers immediately ordered workers to stop clearing the site.
Detection equipment was sent in and they saw a woman waving her hand. She shouted “I’m still here” and said her name was Reshma.
Within minutes, hundreds of soldiers and firefighters rushed to the scene to help clear the rubble.
Cutting and drilling equipment was brought in to get through iron rods and debris. Not long afterwards, she was pulled from the rubble and the crowd erupted in cheers.
Not long afterwards, rescuers pulled her from the rubble. Reshma has been taken to a military hospital.
Rescuers said it was possible that the woman survived because of the large quantities of oxygen and water that were pumped into the ruins in the early stages of the rescue effort.
Bangladeshi police has arrested two owners of garment factories in the building that collapsed on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka this week killing at least 336 people.
Owners Mahbubur Rahman Tapas and Balzul Samad Adnan are suspected of forcing staff to work in the eight-storey building, ignoring warnings about cracks.
At least 336 people are known to have died after the Rana Plaza in the suburb of Savar collapsed on Wednesday.
On Saturday morning, at least 24 more people were rescued from the rubble.
Rescuers and volunteers, who worked through the night, cheered as they were brought to safety.
Earlier, rescue teams said they had located about 40 survivors on the collapsed third and fifth floors of the building.
Officials said they were working to extricate the remaining survivors and had passed oxygen cylinders and water to those still trapped.
Among those pulled out alive after three days in the rubble was Marina Begum, 22, now recovering in hospital.
Bangladeshi police has arrested two owners of garment factories in the building that collapsed on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka this week killing at least 336 people
“It felt like I was in hell,” she said.
“It was so hot, I could hardly breathe, there was no food or water. When I regained my senses I found myself in this hospital bed.”
More bodies of victims were also retrieved overnight and on Saturday morning.
Some 3,000 people are believed to have been working in the building at the time of the collapse and about 600 are still missing. Rana Plaza housed three garment factories, a bank and a number of shops.
Watching the operation are hundreds of relatives of those still missing, many clutching photographs of their loved ones.
Abul Basar wept as he awaited news of his wife who worked in one of the garment factories.
“My son says that his mother will come back some day, she must return,” he cried.
Mahbubur Rahman Tapas and Balzul Samad Adnan, the owners of the New Wave Bottoms and New Wave Style factories, were remanded in custody for 12 days by a court on Saturday. They were arrested earlier in the day after turning themselves in.
Deputy chief of Dhaka police Shyami Mukherjee said the two were accused of causing “death due to negligence”.
The owners reportedly told their employees to return to work on Wednesday, even though cracks were visible in the building a day earlier.
Three other clothing factories were reportedly operating in the building.
Police are also questioning two municipal engineers who are reported to have approved the safety of the building a day before it collapsed.
The owner of Rana Plaza, Mohammed Sohel Rana, is said to have gone into hiding.
“Those who’re involved, especially the owner who forced the workers to work there, will be punished,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told lawmakers on Friday.
“Wherever he is, he will be found and brought to justice,” the prime minister added.
There is widespread anger in Bangladesh over the disaster and fresh clashes between police and protesters erupted again on Saturday.
On Friday, police used tear-gas and rubber bullets to break up crowds that had blocked roads, set fire to buses and attacked textile factories.
Protesters are demanding that the government arrests all those responsible for the disaster and improves conditions for garment workers.
Police are guarding other garment factories in the area.
Bangladesh has one of the largest garment industries in the world, providing cheap clothing for major Western retailers that benefit from its widespread low-cost labor.
But the industry has been widely criticized for its low pay and limited rights given to workers and for the often dangerous working conditions in garment factories.
Primark, a clothes retailer with a large presence in Britain, confirmed that one of its suppliers was on the second floor of the Rana Plaza, and said it would work with other retailers to review standards.
Labor rights groups say the companies have a moral duty to ensure their suppliers are providing safe conditions for their employees.
UK fashion designer Katharine Hamnett has called on fashion brands to insist on safer working conditions for garment workers internationally.
“The price of clothes may be low but they are paid for with human lives,” she is reported to have said at the Vogue Festival in London on Saturday.
“We should demand credible, certifiable inspections on building structures and industry standards.”
She added: “This is a very dark day for the clothing industry.”
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Communist Party and left-leaning Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal party have called a general strike on May 2 to demand punishment for those found responsible for the deaths.
An eight-storey building collapsed in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, killing at least 70 people and injuring other 200, government officials say.
Many more people are feared trapped after building collapse and frantic efforts are under way to rescue those beneath the debris.
The army is helping with the rescue operation on the outskirts of Dhaka.
Building collapses are common in Bangladesh where many multi-storey blocks are built in violation of rules.
The eight-storey building contained a clothing factory, a bank and several other shops. It collapsed during the morning rush hour.
Many people have gathered near the scene looking for friends and relatives.
It is not yet clear what caused the collapse but local media reports said a crack was detected in the block on Tuesday.
An eight-storey building collapsed in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, killing at least 70 people and injuring other 200
Rescue workers are using concrete cutters and cranes to dig through the rubble.
Local police chief Mohammad Asaduzzaman told the Reuters news agency that factory owners appeared to have ignored a warning not to allow their workers into the building after the crack was detected.
Police told local media that the rear of the building suddenly started to collapse on Wednesday morning and within a short time the whole structure – except the main pillar and parts of the front wall – had caved-in, triggering panic.
Only the ground floor of the Rana Plaza in Sava remained intact after the collapse, officials said, as army and fire service rescuers equipped with concrete cutters and cranes dug through rubble to pull out trapped people. Many onlookers also joined the effort using their bare hands.
Survivors have described their terror as the collapse began.
“I was in the cutting section of the garment factory and suddenly we heard a huge noise and the building collapsed within a few minutes,” a garment worker told private Somoy TV.
“I removed the rubble and came out with two other workers. But at least 30 other workers in my cutting section were still unaccounted for,” he said.
In November, a fire at a garment factory in a Dhaka suburb killed at least 110 people and triggered a public outcry about safety standards in the industry.
The last major building collapse was in 2010, when a four-storey building collapsed in Dhaka killing at least 25 people and injuring several others.
Bangladesh has one of the largest garment industries in the world, providing competitively priced clothes for major Western retailers which benefit from its widespread low-cost labor.
Following November’s fire, Western retail chains who buy from factories in Bangladesh urged factory owners to improve safety standards.
The death toll from the building collapse in Thane, near Mumbai, has risen to 72, Indian police say.
The seven-storey block in Thane collapsed late on Thursday, with more than 100 people reportedly inside.
Building work was going on even though four floors were already occupied. At least 70 people were injured.
Indian authorities said the block was one of many illegal high-rises in the Mumbai region, where demand for housing is driven by rapid population growth.
The seven-storey block in Thane collapsed late on Thursday, with more than 100 people reportedly inside
An investigation has been ordered, while a deputy municipal commissioner and senior police officer have been suspended for dereliction of duty and allegedly colluding with the builders.
Police were seeking the arrest of the builders, local police commissioner KP Raghuvanshi said.
At least 19 children are among the 72 people confirmed to have died in the collapse.
Rescue workers used heavy equipment on Friday and through the night into Saturday to try to cut through the rubble, while rescue dogs searched for survivors.
More than 100 people are reported to have been pulled out alive, among them a 10-month-old girl. But the Associated Press reported that her parents had not been found.
Hopes are fading of finding anyone else alive.
“The building collapsed like a pack of cards within three to four seconds,” Reuters quoted a local resident named Ramlal as saying.
“It just tilted a bit and collapsed.”
According to a police official, the collapse appeared to have been caused by the use of substandard building material.
Witnesses said the construction of the building started just six weeks ago, since when seven floors had been built. The eighth floor was under construction.
One local resident told the Associated Press the building was only supposed to have four storeys.
“People from the municipality used to visit the building but the builder still continued to add floors,” said the man, who did not give his name.
Building collapses are common in India, with poor construction practices often blamed.
According to Tanzanian officials, at least 17 people have been killed after a multi-storey building collapsed in the centre of Dar es Salaam on Friday morning.
Commissioner Saidi Meck Sadick said 18 people had survived.
He added that the search for other survivors was continuing.
At least 17 people have been killed after a multi-storey building collapsed in the centre of Dar es Salaam on Friday morning
Earlier reports said some 45 people, including construction workers, residents and children from a Koranic school, were missing.
The high-rise building under construction is now a “huge pile of chaos”.
Trapped victims are said to have been making phone calls to friends and relatives.
Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete visited the scene.
The collapsed building was near a mosque, as well as other residential and commercial properties in central Dar es Salaam.
It was supposed to have been at least 12 floors high when finished.
Police say they are questioning four people linked to the construction company, while work on a nearby site undertaken by the same company has been suspended.
Tanzania’s growing economy has prompted a construction boom in Dar es Salaam in recent years, as in many African cities.
But correspondents say the speed of construction and lack of safety standards sometimes put at risk both the buildings and those living and working in them.
At least three people have been killed and dozens more are trapped in the centre of the main Tanzanian city, Dar es Salaam, after a multi-storey building collapsed, rescue workers say.
Thirteen people have been pulled out of the ruins alive, officials say.
Some 45 people, including construction workers, residents and children from a Koranic school, are missing.
At least three people have been killed and dozens more are trapped after a multi-storey building collapsed in Dar es Salaam
The 12-floor building under construction is now a “huge pile of chaos”.
“I thought there was an earthquake and then I heard screaming. The whole building fell on itself,” eyewitness Musa Mohamed told the AFP news agency.
Ahuge crane is pulling out a mass of iron bars to get access to the centre of the building, where some people are thought to be still alive.
Trapped victims are said to have been making phone calls to friends and relatives.
Bulldozers are also being used to move the rubble.
The collapsed building was near a mosque, as well as other residential and commercial properties in central Dar es Salaam.
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