On 28 August at approximately 4:00 p.m. in the Yasamal District of Baku the already built 12 storages of a 16-storey building collapsed. “Mutafakkir” Housing Construction Firm was carrying out the construction of this building. According to the latest reports at least 20 people were killed in the accident and over 25 injured. (29-AUG-07)
Written by Shahla Ismailova/HRH Baku on the basis of information from ANS TV, Turan Information Agency; photo from the Associated Press
Several workers remain trapped in the wreckage, and it was anticipated the number of fatalities would grow in the coming days.
The tragedy site was visited by high-ranking officials including Presidential Administration Chairman Ramiz Mehdiyev, Minister of Emergency Situations Kamaleddin Heydarov, Minister of Interior Ramil Usubov, and General Prosecutor Zakir Garalov.
The despair around the tragedy was deteriorated after the announcement that the collapse of the building influenced the safety of other new building, erected in the neighborhood. The new inhabitants of the buildings were told to leave their places of residence immediately and take away their personal belongings part-by-part.
The officials stated that there should be done investigation of not only the collapsed building, but also a careful testing on all the multi store buildings, erected in the last 3-5 years. The public concern rose enormously after the statement that many of the new buildings might be not fitting to the international building safety standards. There was voiced the plan to create special commission on monitoring with the attraction of foreign specialists.
It should also be noted that the tragedy site was surrounded by the soldiers and police officers from the Ministry of Interior and the journalists were distanced from the site. There was not created any condition for the journalists to highlight the tragedy from the site and give comprehensive reliable information to the population/
