Baghdad Building Collapse: Thirteen Rescued, Search for Survivors Underway

By Staff, Agencies

A four-story commercial building in Baghdad collapsed on Saturday, trapping at least 13 people who were later rescued by the Civil Defense.

Search operations are underway for more survivors, the Civil Defense said in a statement.

Baghdad Municipality spokesman Mohammed Al Rubaie said an investigation has been launched into the collapse of the building in the Iraqi capital's commercial hub of Karrada.

In 2016, about 300 people were killed in a car bombing in the Karrada area. Most of the deaths resulted not from the blast itself, but because people could not escape a building that caught fire from the blast.

Investigators said the building had been constructed without fire escapes and was clad with highly combustible plastic.