Authorities launch probe into Central Doha building collapse death
Qatar's Ministry of Interior (MoI) has launched an investigation to ascertain the causes of the building collapse in Central Doha on Wednesday morning.
One person was killed while seven others injured in the collapse which occurred around 8.30am.
The MoI had tweeted that the search-and-rescue team had pulled out two women alive from the rubble and shifted them to the hospital for necessary medical treatment.
إلحاقا للبيان السابق بشأن انهيار عمارة بمنطقة (بن درهم)، تمكنت فرق البحث والإنقاذ من إخراج سيدتين وهما على قيد الحياة وقد تم نقلهما للمستشفى لتلقي العلاج اللازم.
— وزارة الداخلية - قطر (@MOI_Qatar) March 22, 2023
وتشير التحقيقات الأولية، إلى أعمال صيانة للمبنى أثناء حدوث الانهيار #الداخلية_قطر #الدفاع_المدني pic.twitter.com/ua3iSfDWzk
Preliminary investigations indicated that maintenance work had been going on in the building at the time of its collapse. Relevant authorities have taken measures to ensure parties responsible for the maintenance work had necessary permits to do so and to determine whether their actions had any impact on the building’s collapse.
Director of the MoI’s Public Relations Department Brigadier Abdullah Khalifa Al Muftah said injuries to survivors were minor to medium in nature and they were receiving necessary treatment. He said the search-and-rescue mission at the site was still ongoing.
He added that specialised teams evacuated families from adjacent buildings ‘as a precautionary measure’ and transferred them to a hotel ‘where they were receiving appropriate psychological support from the Community Police.’
Speaking to Qatar TV, Brigadier Al Muftah wished the victims a speedy recovery. He said the country’s Civil Defence, Rescue Police (Al Fazaa) and Traffic Police, along with ambulances, had rushed to the spot soon after the incident was reported.
Meanwhile, Lt-Col Mubarak Sherida Al Kaabi, Commander of the Qatar International Search and Rescue Group, said rescue operations were continuing
“There’s another group and the team is working to secure their exit. The rescue team operating in the Bin Derham area is highly trained and was in Turkey in February to help rescue those affected by the earthquake that struck the southern parts of the country,” he said.
The search and rescue team are using advanced equipment like sensors and thermal cameras, in addition to trained dogs, to spot survivors.
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