Building collapse in Egypt: at least 8 fatalities

The death toll from the collapse of a five-story apartment building in Egypt’s Giza Province, south of Cairo, has climbed to eight, according to a report published Thursday by the state-run Ahram Online. Rescue workers recovered the body of the final missing victim after two days of nonstop search efforts and debris clearance.

The building came down late Tuesday in Imbaba, a crowded district of Giza, damaging nearby structures. Several neighboring buildings were evacuated as a precaution while safety inspections are carried out. Authorities said in a statement posted on the Giza Province’s official Facebook page that rubble had to be cleared by hand because the narrow street made it impossible to use heavy equipment.

In all, an engineering committee has been tasked with determining the cause of the collapse, including whether the building had illegal alterations or violated construction regulations.