Four dead after building collapses in Bahrain's capital

Twenty were also injured after a gas cylinder explosion caused a building in Manama's Salmaniya district to collapse.
1 min read
10 October, 2018
Building collapses in Manama as rescue teams arrive [Getty]

An apartment building in the Bahraini capital collapsed late on Tuesday, killing at least four people and injuring 20 others.

Three bodies were found in the Salmaniya district of Manama, with a fourth person dying in hospital, the interior ministry said in a statement on Twitter.

The cause of the explosion, according to preliminary evidence, appears to be a gas cyclinder explosion.

Two residents on the second floor of the building were reportedly cooking when the blast occurred, according to regional media reports.

More than 60 police officers and security forces arrived as well as 19 ambulances after the building collapsed.

Police said the injuries were "medium and serious" but did not specify if there were any in critical condition.

Building safety has emerged as a growing concern in the Gulf states in recent years. 

In August 2017, the Torch tower in Dubai was set ablaze for the second time, which is one of the largest residential towers in the world.

The incident revived questions about materials used to construct apartment buildings there and in the broader region.

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