Beirut building collapses, kills at least 25 people (VIDEO)

GlobalPost

A five-story building collapsed in Beirut, leaving at least 25 dead so far, and rescue workers still searching for more bodies, the Associated Press reported. Officials say at least 10 more people could be buried under the rubble.

The building collapsed on Sunday evening in the Lebanese capital. The owner of the building, Michel Saadeh, was arrested and is being questioned, according to Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, the AP reported. Although the cause of the building’s collapse is unknown, it is said to have disintegrated into a pile of twisted metal and broken concrete.

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"We are hoping to find people alive. There are still some missing," said Ali Hassan Khalil, the health minister, the Daily Telegraph reported.

The people who were killed were workers living in Lebanon, and most were were believed to be Sudanese, Philippine and Egyptian, the BBC reported. Some of the victims were Lebanese, including a 15-year-old girl.

"The ground shook like an earthquake, that's what we all thought," said Mazen Farhat, 46, who lives in the area of the building, the AP reported. "I heard screams, and then the dust was everywhere, and I ran," he said as he stood among dozens of people watching the rescue efforts.

The collapse occurred after many days of heavy rain and officials have said the building was old, Reuters reported.

Prime Minister Najib Mikati has set up an investigation team to look into the reason for the building’s collapse, along with ensuring the safety of other buildings in the city. According to the AP, building collapses in Lebanon are rare and this could also be attributed to the effects of several nearby construction sites.

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Here's a video of Beirut after the earthquake:

Dozens Trapped in Beirut Building Collapse
World News Videos by NewsLook
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