Firefighters reportedly trapped under rubble after building housing a shopping centre and clothing workshops collapses.

Dozens of firefighters are feared dead after a major commercial building in Tehran collapsed following a huge fire, state media reported.

Reports of casualties were conflicting after the collapse on Thursday as some state media outlets that had initially reported dozens of deaths later backtracked.

Firefighters battled the blaze for several hours before the building, just north of the capital's sprawling bazaar, fell. Police tried to keep out shopkeepers and others wanting to rush back in to collect their valuables.

The building came down in a matter of seconds, shown live on 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.

Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said between 20 to 25 people are believed to have been trapped under the rubble.

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.

Over 200 people injured in the fire were transferred to medical facilities, IRNA news agency reported.

Army Special Forces were deployed to aid the search and rescue efforts.

Fars quoted sources saying some 30 firefighters had "most likely" been killed and that the toll was likely to rise as many people were trapped in the building when it came down.

The 17-storey building, dating from the early 1960s and including a shopping centre and clothing workshops, was among the first high-rises built in the Iranian capital..

Dramatic images showed flames pouring out of the top floors before it crumbled to the ground.

"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.</s>ANKARA At least 20 firefighters were killed when a 17-storey Tehran commercial building collapsed on top of them as they tried to put out a blaze, Iranian state television quoted the city's mayor as saying on Thursday."At least 20 firefighters who were trapped under rubble have died," Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said. "They are martyrs. They lost their lives when trying to help people."Qalibaf had earlier said around 25 firefighters were trapped inside the building. State TV said the death toll might increase. Soldiers, sniffer dogs and rescue workers were searching the ruins of the Plasco building after it crashed down in a giant cloud of dust. One witness described it as "like a horror movie".State TV said at least 78 people, including 45 firefighters, had been injured, and the remains of the building had continued to burn after the collapse. Most of those hurt had been taken to hospital and many were quickly discharged, it said.The semi-official Tasnim news agency said troops had been sent to help dig through the ruins. It said one of the first firefighters to be reached had demanded to be let back inside to save his colleagues.The agency quoted an official in the Tehran governor's office as saying an electrical short-circuit had caused the fire, but there was no immediate confirmation of this.

President Hassan Rouhani ordered an immediate investigation and compensation for those affected. RESCUE COULD TAKE DAYS

Tehran Fire Department spokesman Jalal Maleki said the building had collapsed vertically. "That is why adjacent buildings were not damaged," he said.Occupants of the building had been evacuated as the firefighters tackled the blaze. State TV said the tenants included garment manufacturers, and broadcast footage of business owners trying to re-enter the wreckage.Sniffer dogs searched for signs of survivors buried under giant slabs of concrete and heaps of twisted metal. The rescue operation could last more than two days, state TV said. The Plasco building, Iran's first private high-rise, was built more than 50 years ago by a prominent Iranian-Jewish businessman who was arrested and sentenced to death for ties to Israel after the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Tasnim said it "had caught fire in the past". A fire department spokesman told state TV that tenants "had been warned repeatedly in the past months by the municipality to evacuate the building because of safety concerns.""We had repeatedly warned the building managers about the lack of safety," Maleki told state TV. "The building lacked fire extinguishers... But the building managers ignored the warnings."The owner of a nearby grocery store, forced by police to leave the area, told Reuters by telephone: "It was like a horror movie. The building collapsed in front of me."The semi-official Fars news agency said police had cordoned off the nearby British, German and Turkish embassies. "The flames could be seen kilometers away from the old building," it said. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.</s>TEHRAN, Iran — A high-rise building in Tehran engulfed by fire collapsed on Thursday, killing at least 30 firefighters and injuring some 75 people, state media reported.

The disaster struck the Plasco building, an iconic structure in central Tehran just north of the Iranian capital’s sprawling bazaar. Firefighters, soldiers and other emergency responders dug through the rubble, looking for survivors.

Iranian authorities did not immediately release definitive casualty figures, which is common in unfolding disasters.

Iran’s state-run Press TV announced the firefighters’ deaths, without giving a source for the information. Local Iranian state television said 30 civilians were injured in the disaster, while the state-run IRNA news agency said 45 firefighters had been injured.

Firefighters battled the blaze for several hours before the collapse. The fire appeared to be the most intense in the building’s upper floors, home to garment workshops where tailors cook for themselves and use old kerosene heaters for warmth in winter.

Police tried to keep out shopkeepers and others wanting to rush back in to collect their valuables.

Tehran’s mayor, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said there were “no ordinary civilians” trapped under the rubble. However, witnesses said some people had slipped through the police cordon and gone back into the building.

President Hassan Rouhani ordered Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli to investigate and report the cause of the incident as soon as possible, IRNA reported.

He also ordered the ministry to ensure the injured were cared for and to take immediate action to compensate those affected by the disaster.

The building came down in a matter of seconds, shown live on state television, which had begun an interview with a journalist at the scene. A side of the building came down first, tumbling perilously close to a firefighter perched on a ladder and spraying water on the blaze.

A thick plume of brown smoke rose over the site after the collapse. Onlookers wailed in grief.

Among those watching the disaster unfold was Masoumeh Kazemi, who said she rushed to the building as her two sons and a brother had jobs in the garment workshops occupying the upper floors of the high-rise.

“I do not know where they are now,” Kazemi said, crying.

In a nearby intersection, Abbas Nikkhoo stood with tears in his eyes.

“My nephew was working in a workshop there,” he said. “He has been living with me since moving to Tehran last year from the north of the country in hopes of finding a job.”

Jalal Maleki, a fire department spokesman, earlier told Iranian state television that 10 firehouses responded to the blaze, which was first reported around 8 a.m. He later said authorities visited the building “many times” to warn them about conditions there.

“They stacked up material on staircases, which was very awful, although we warned them many times,” he said.

Late Thursday afternoon, another fire broke out at a building next to the collapsed tower, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. Firefighters worked to put it out.

Several embassies are located near the building. Turkey’s state-run news agency, reporting from Tehran, said the Turkish Embassy was evacuated as a precaution, though it sustained no damage in the collapse.

The Plasco building was an iconic presence on the Tehran skyline.

The 17-storey tower was built in the early 1960s by Iranian Jewish businessman Habib Elghanian and named after his plastics manufacturing company. It was the tallest building in the city at the time of its construction.

Elghanian was tried on charges that included espionage and executed in the months after the 1979 Islamic Revolution that brought the current ruling system to power — a move that prompted many members of the country’s longstanding Jewish community to flee.

The tower is attached to a multistorey shopping mall featuring a sky-lit atrium and a series of turquoise fountains. It wasn’t immediately clear if the mall was damaged.</s>By Amir Vahdat and Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran — A historic high-rise building in the heart of Iran’s capital caught fire and later collapsed Thursday, killing at least 30 firefighters and leaving their stunned colleagues and bystanders weeping in the streets.

The disaster at the 17-story Plasco building, inadvertently shown live on state television, came after authorities said they repeatedly warned tenants about blocking stairwells with fabric from cramped garment workshops on its upper floors.

Firefighters, soldiers and other emergency responders dug through the debris into the night, looking for survivors. While it was not clear how many people were in the steel-and-concrete building, witnesses said many had slipped through a police cordon while the fire burned to go back inside for their belongings.

“They asked us … using loudspeakers to evacuate the building, but some people went inside again, saying their precious documents, their bank checks, their entire life was in their shops,” said witness Masoud Hosseini. “They went inside to fetch those documents. I felt like they cared about their belongings, checks and money more than their lives.

“Firefighters went inside to bring them out, and then suddenly the building collapsed,” Hosseini said.

Iranian authorities did not immediately release definitive casualty figures, which is common in unfolding disasters.

Iran’s state-run Press TV announced the firefighters’ deaths, without giving a source for the information. Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said more than 20 bodies of firefighters had been recovered by Thursday night.

Local state television said 30 civilians were injured, while the state-run IRNA news agency said 45 firefighters had been injured.

Firefighters began battling the blaze around 8 a.m., some 3 1/2 hours before the collapse. The fire appeared to be the most intense on the upper floors, the site of workshops where tailors cooked for themselves and used old kerosene heaters for warmth.

The building came down in seconds, shown live on state television , which had begun an interview with a journalist at the scene. One side collapsed first, tumbling perilously close to a firefighter perched on a ladder and spraying water on the blaze.

A thick plume of brown smoke rose over the site afterward, and onlookers wailed in grief.

“God willing, nothing happened to firefighters who were there,” the journalist said, then began crying.

Watching the disaster unfold was Masoumeh Kazemi, who said she rushed to the building because her two sons and a brother worked in the garment workshops on the upper floors.

“I do not know where they are now,” Kazemi said, crying.

In a nearby intersection, Abbas Nikkhoo stood with tears in his eyes.

“My nephew was working in a workshop there,” he said. “He has been living with me since moving to Tehran last year from the north of the country in hopes of finding a job.”

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressed sorrow over the fire in a statement and praised the courage and sacrifice of the firefighters.

President Hassan Rouhani ordered Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli to investigate the disaster, IRNA reported. Rouhani also ordered the ministry to ensure the injured were cared for and immediately compensate those affected by the disaster. Rouhani, whose administration struck the nuclear deal with world powers, will probably be standing for re-election in May.

The cause of the blaze wasn’t immediately known. However, fire department spokesman Jalal Maleki said authorities had visited the building often to warn tenants about conditions there.

“Everyone stacked up goods outside their shops and in the staircases and corridors,” Maleki said. “We warned them many times, but they wouldn’t listen.”

In the hours after the collapse, authorities also described the building as having a “weak structure,” without elaborating.

Another fire broke out later Thursday at a building next to the collapsed tower, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. Firefighters worked into the night to extinguish it.

The Plasco building was an iconic presence on Tehran’s skyline, one of the first to rise against the backdrop of the snowcapped Mount Damavand. Opened in 1962, it was the first privately owned tower to be built during the era of the U.S.-backed shah, when oil money fueled the capital’s rapid development.

The tower, the tallest in Tehran at the time and just north of the sprawling Grand Bazaar, got its name from the plastics manufacturing company owned by its builder, Iranian Jewish businessman Habib Elghanian.

After the 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew the shah, Iran’s new clerical rulers had Elghanian tried on charges that included spying for Israel. He was executed by firing squad — an outcome that prompted many of the remaining members of the country’s longstanding Jewish community to flee.

The state-controlled Islamic Revolution Mostazafan Foundation took ownership of the building. The foundation, which has ties to the powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, made no immediate statement about the collapse.

The fire was the worst in Tehran since a 2005 blaze at a historic mosque killed 59 worshippers and injured nearly 200 others.

Thursday’s disaster stunned the city. Firefighters openly wept on the streets, holding each other for support. Dozens of people lined up to donate blood.

“It is a humanitarian duty,” said Gholamreza Heidari, a university student. “It is nothing compared to the dedication that our firefighters showed in rescuing people.”

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Adam Schreck in Dubai and Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed.</s>A high-rise in downtown Tehran, Iran, caught fire and collapsed on Thursday, killing firefighters who were working inside the building.

Reports suggest at least 20 firefighters died, and many more people — including firefighters and civilians — were injured.

The horrifying scene was "inadvertently shown live on state television," The Associated Press reports, and left other firefighters and eyewitnesses crying in the streets.

More people are believed to be trapped in the rubble, NPR's Peter Kenyon reports, and rescue operations are ongoing.

The 17-story building that collapsed, the Plasco building, is the oldest high-rise in Iran, he says.

"The building was opened more than 50 years ago and housed retail outlets and a large number of textile manufacturing shops, according to several Iranian media," Peter reports. "Some of the surrounding buildings were damaged in the collapse."

The AP reports that authorities said they had "repeatedly warned tenants about blocking stairwells with fabric" that could be flammable and could block escape routes. Here's more from the wire service:



"Firefighters, soldiers and other emergency responders dug through the debris into the night, looking for survivors. While it was not clear how many people were in the steel-and-concrete building, witnesses said many had slipped through a police cordon while the fire burned to go back inside for their belongings. " 'They asked us ... using loudspeakers to evacuate the building, but some people went inside again, saying their precious documents, their bank checks, their entire life was in their shops,' said witness Masoud Hosseini. 'They went inside to fetch those documents. I felt like they cared about their belongings, checks and money more than their lives. " 'Firefighters went inside to bring them out, and then suddenly the building collapsed,' Hosseini said."



The mayor of Tehran, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said the firefighters who died in the collapse were "martyrs," Reuters reports.

Here's more from the news service:



"The semi-official Tasnim news agency said troops had been sent to help dig through the ruins. It said one of the first firefighters to be reached had demanded to be let back inside to save his colleagues. "The agency quoted an official in the Tehran governor's office as saying an electrical short-circuit had caused the fire, but there was no immediate confirmation of this. "President Hassan Rouhani ordered an immediate investigation and compensation for those affected."



Search dogs were looking for survivors, and the rescue operation could last for more than two days, Reuters says, citing Iranian state TV.</s>At least 38 firefighters were injured when a blazing high-rise building in Tehran collapsed, state television reported on Thursday.

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 hospitalized but most of them have been discharged."

"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 a.m. (0430 GMT) local time when many shopkeepers were not inside the building," it said.</s>A high-rise in downtown Tehran, Iran, caught fire and collapsed on Thursday, killing firefighters who were working inside the building.

Reports suggest at least 20 firefighters died, and many more people — including firefighters and civilians — were injured.

The horrifying scene was "inadvertently shown live on state television," The Associated Press reports, and left other firefighters and eyewitnesses crying in the streets.

More people are believed to be trapped in the rubble, NPR's Peter Kenyon reports, and rescue operations are ongoing.

The 17-story building that collapsed, the Plasco building, is the oldest high-rise in Iran, he says.

"The building was opened more than 50 years ago and housed retail outlets and a large number of textile manufacturing shops, according to several Iranian media," Peter reports. "Some of the surrounding buildings were damaged in the collapse."

The AP reports that authorities said they had "repeatedly warned tenants about blocking stairwells with fabric" that could be flammable and could block escape routes. Here's more from the wire service:



"Firefighters, soldiers and other emergency responders dug through the debris into the night, looking for survivors. While it was not clear how many people were in the steel-and-concrete building, witnesses said many had slipped through a police cordon while the fire burned to go back inside for their belongings. " 'They asked us ... using loudspeakers to evacuate the building, but some people went inside again, saying their precious documents, their bank checks, their entire life was in their shops,' said witness Masoud Hosseini. 'They went inside to fetch those documents. I felt like they cared about their belongings, checks and money more than their lives. " 'Firefighters went inside to bring them out, and then suddenly the building collapsed,' Hosseini said."



The mayor of Tehran, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said the firefighters who died in the collapse were "martyrs," Reuters reports.

Here's more from the news service:



"The semi-official Tasnim news agency said troops had been sent to help dig through the ruins. It said one of the first firefighters to be reached had demanded to be let back inside to save his colleagues. "The agency quoted an official in the Tehran governor's office as saying an electrical short-circuit had caused the fire, but there was no immediate confirmation of this. "President Hassan Rouhani ordered an immediate investigation and compensation for those affected."



Search dogs were looking for survivors, and the rescue operation could last for more than two days, Reuters says, citing Iranian state TV.</s>Tehran: At least 30 Iranian fire fighters were killed in a blaze that brought down a multi-storeyed commercial building in Tehran, state media reported on Thursday.

An official was quoted as saying that between 50 to 100 people were believed to have been trapped under the rubble, Press TV reported, adding that nearby buildings, including the embassies of Turkey and Britain, have been evacuated.

“The building is one of the oldest buildings in Tehran,” it said, adding that “the Plasco building is located in southern Tehran and is mostly a commercial building”.

The 17-storeyed building came down in a matter of seconds, with a thick plume of smoke instantly rising over the site, it added.

The fire spread through the building in the early hours of Thursday, despite efforts by Tehran fire fighters to put out the blaze, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported, adding that Plasco Trade Centre was the biggest in the Iranian capital.

The commercial tower, located on Jomhoori Avenue, was built in 1962 and named after a plastics manufacturing company. The Plasco building includes a shopping mall and clothing workshops.</s>A high-rise in downtown Tehran, Iran, caught fire and collapsed on Thursday, killing firefighters who were working inside the building.

Reports suggest at least 20 firefighters died, and many more people — including firefighters and civilians — were injured.

The horrifying scene was "inadvertently shown live on state television," The Associated Press reports, and left other firefighters and eyewitnesses crying in the streets.

More people are believed to be trapped in the rubble, NPR's Peter Kenyon reports, and rescue operations are ongoing.

The 17-story building that collapsed, the Plasco building, is the oldest high-rise in Iran, he says.

"The building was opened more than 50 years ago and housed retail outlets and a large number of textile manufacturing shops, according to several Iranian media," Peter reports. "Some of the surrounding buildings were damaged in the collapse."

The AP reports that authorities said they had "repeatedly warned tenants about blocking stairwells with fabric" that could be flammable and could block escape routes. Here's more from the wire service:



"Firefighters, soldiers and other emergency responders dug through the debris into the night, looking for survivors. While it was not clear how many people were in the steel-and-concrete building, witnesses said many had slipped through a police cordon while the fire burned to go back inside for their belongings. " 'They asked us ... using loudspeakers to evacuate the building, but some people went inside again, saying their precious documents, their bank checks, their entire life was in their shops,' said witness Masoud Hosseini. 'They went inside to fetch those documents. I felt like they cared about their belongings, checks and money more than their lives. " 'Firefighters went inside to bring them out, and then suddenly the building collapsed,' Hosseini said."



The mayor of Tehran, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said the firefighters who died in the collapse were "martyrs," Reuters reports.

Here's more from the news service:



"The semi-official Tasnim news agency said troops had been sent to help dig through the ruins. It said one of the first firefighters to be reached had demanded to be let back inside to save his colleagues. "The agency quoted an official in the Tehran governor's office as saying an electrical short-circuit had caused the fire, but there was no immediate confirmation of this. "President Hassan Rouhani ordered an immediate investigation and compensation for those affected."



Search dogs were looking for survivors, and the rescue operation could last for more than two days, Reuters says, citing Iranian state TV.</s>NPR's Robert Siegel speaks with Thomas Erdbrink, the New York Times Tehran bureau chief, about the firefighters killed in the collapse of one of Tehran's best known high rise buildings.
The 17-story Plasco Building collapses after a blaze in Tehran, Iran. The building was evacuated but 30 firefighters have been killed in the collapse.