38 hurt as blazing Tehran building collapses

Everyone had been evacuated from the building, state TV said, but firefighters were still trying to control the blaze and police have cordoned off the area. Rescue teams were at the scene, state TV said.

“The building is one of the oldest buildings in Tehran. The Plasco building is a very old building in southern Tehran. It is mostly a commercial building,” state TV said, referring to the Plasco Building, which is more than 50 years old.

“At least 38 people were injured and hospitalised but most of them have been discharged.” The semi-official Tasnim news agency said the Plasco building “had caught fire in the past”. “The fire started on the ninth floor. The fire is almost under the control now,” Tasnim reported.

A grocery shop owner, forced by police to leave the area, told Reuters by telephone that “it was like a horror movie. The building collapsed in front of me.” The semi-official Fars news agency said police have cordoned off British and Turkish embassies that are located near the Plasco building.

“The flames could be seen kilometers away from the old building ... but most of the residents and shopkeepers in the building have been evacuated,” the semi-official Fars news agency reported. “The fire started around 8 am local time when many shopkeepers were not inside the building,” it said.