23 dead, 19 injured in barracks collapse
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A military barracks with a collapsed ceiling is seen at a base in Omsk, Russia, on Monday. Dmitry Feoktistov / AP |
The ceiling of a Russian military barracks collapsed in Siberia on Monday, causing four stories to crumble and killing 23 young men trapped inside.
Rescuers searched for hours for victims trapped under the debris of an airborne troops training center in Omsk following the collapse that occurred in the early hours of the morning.
Nineteen people were injured. Authorities sent 10 seriously injured victims to Moscow for treatment while the Kremlin offered condolences to the families of the deceased.
The Defense Ministry wouldn't speculate on the cause of the accident but the footage and video from the scene showed an entire section of the building lying in ruins. Ministry spokesman Gen.-Maj. Igor Konashenkov said the building was renovated in 2013 but he insisted that could not have caused the collapse.
A Defence Ministry statement said the concrete building, which housed military personnel in the village of Svetly in southern central Russia, had collapsed on Sunday, trapping people inside.
Rescue efforts have ended, Konashenkov said, adding that 10 injured servicemen were flying to Moscow for treatment.
An investigation is underway with violations during repair work suspected to be the probable cause of the accident. A criminal case was also opened on charges of negligence.
AP - Xinhua - Reuters
