Lebanon building collapse toll rises to 14: civil defence

Beirut, Lebanon: The death toll in a building collapse in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli rose to 14 after search and rescue operations ended, t...

Beirut, Lebanon: The death toll in a building collapse in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli rose to 14 after search and rescue operations ended, the civil defence chief said Monday.

The building consisted of two blocks, each containing six apartments in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood, one of the poorest areas in the city. Twenty-two people were inside at the time of the collapse.

Civil defence chief Imad Khreish told reporters in front of the building that "the search and rescue operations have ended for now", noting that eight residents were rescued alive, while "unfortunately 14 victims died".

Security personnel had evacuated adjacent buildings fearing further collapses.

Mayor Abdel Hamid Karimeh on Sunday declared Tripoli a "disaster-stricken city" due to unsafe buildings threatening the lives of "thousands of our people".