The British and Turkish embassies in Tehran, Iran, have been evacuated following a fire disaster that occurred today in the country.
Press TV reported that the fire, which engulfed Iran’s oldest high-rise, Plasco 17-storey commercial building in downtown Tehran started at 8:00 am local time (0430 GMT) on the eighth and ninth floors of the 54-year-old building and soon spread to the upper floors.
The state-run channel PressTV said that at least 20 firefighters trapped in the rubble were confirmed dead and that dozens of people could be trapped beneath the rubble as well. But other local news agencies said that as many as 50 firefighters and shopkeepers could have been inside the building when it eventually collapsed.
The building came down in a matter of seconds, shown live on the state television, which had begun an interview with a journalist at the scene. A thick plume of brown smoke rose over the site after the collapse.
Over 200 people injured in the fire were transferred to medical facilities, IRNA news agency reported.
Hundreds of people have queued up in hospital and clinics to donate blood, while several firefighters are reported to have been trapped in the basement of the collapsed commercial complex.
Fars news agency reported that a firefighter had sent a text message to a colleague, saying he was alive and trapped with several others at the building’s engine room.
Army special forces were deployed to aid the search and rescue efforts.
“We had repeatedly warned the building managers about the lack of safety of the building,” fire brigade spokesman Jalal Malekias said, adding that it lacked fire extinguishers.
“Even in the stairwells, a lot of clothing is stored and this is against safety standards. The managers didn’t pay attention to the warnings,” he said.
Residents of adjacent buildings in the neighborhood have been warned to leave the buildings, with the Turkish and British embassies nearby evacuated already.
Authorities at Tehran governor’s office have ruled out terrorism, Press TV said.