CAIRO: At least 7 people were killed and one more injured when a building collapsed in the Egyptian capital early Wednesday morning, the country's security forces said. According to reports from the Darb al-Ahmar area of Cairo – a poorer area known for its lack of government oversight or care – 8 laborers had been living in the one-level house. Police at the site said that the men had been sleeping when the collapse happened. Local media reported that the building had been scheduled for demolition by the government, but had not been carried out. Thousands of buildings across Egypt are condemned, but the government moves extremely slow in demolishing the structures. Often during the waiting period, squatters take up residence in the buildings, which results in unnecessary deaths when the buildings crash to the ground. Just two weeks ago, a building collapsed in the middle-class Shobra area of Cairo, which killed 7 people, including three children. Cairo Governor Abdelazim Wazir has said that most of the buildings that have collapsed in the city did so after demolition orders were issued. BM
