A large portion of the Metropol tower in Abadan, southwest Iran, collapsed Monday morning local time leaving at least seven dead and 31 injured. State media are reporting there is a possibility of more than 50 to 80 other individuals who were shopping in stores adjacent to this building may be trapped under the rubble. Rescue teams from the cities of Ahvaz, Dashte Azadegan, Khorramshahr, Shadegan, and Mahshahar have been dispatched to the scene.
32 people have been pulled out of the rubble alive
State media is reporting 32 people have been pulled out of the rubble alive and authorities are imposing no commuting restrictions around downtown areas of Abadan. Local officials have dispatched anti-riot units to prevent locals from launching anti-regime protests as Abadan residents are increasingly growing angry.
#Iran News in Brief
According to state media, a residential-commercial complex on Amirkabir Street in the city of Abadan suddenly collapsed. Source provide mixed numbers of casualties. https://t.co/Ggw5tSsYOy pic.twitter.com/nM5tlVdYYI
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) May 23, 2022
A group of locals gathered near the collapsed building and voiced their anger. They were filmed chanting against corrupt city officials. “Today is a day of mourning! Abadan has no [responsible official] and is in mourning!”
May 23 – Abadan, southwest #Iran
Following the collapsing of a 10-story building, locals are seen protesting against local officials and their corruption policies.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/mKVZ5hALVZ— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 23, 2022
Reports also indicate more than 30 vehicles have been buried under the massive rubble. People began pulling out victims and survivors from under the rubble with their bare hands. For a few hours authorities did not take any action, such as dispatching necessary heavy machinery, to assist in the rescue efforts and save people’s lives.
May 23 – Abadan, SW #Iran
A 10-story building known as Metropol collapsed/5 dead/27 injured/80+ trapped under rubble/Abadan MP blamed local officials responsible for building and inaugurating Metropol in 2019. pic.twitter.com/e7Bq19ZFpl— Iran News Wire (@IranNW) May 23, 2022
Hossein Hamidpour, the regime’s mayor in Abadan, went to the scene after a few hours. However, locals attacked him and forced him to flee the area, according to a report wired by the semi-official ILNA news agency. People are saying this corrupt figure authorized the construction of the Metropol twin towers despite many technical deficiencies in the plans.
One source reported that the mayor of #Abadan who tried to show up and claim empathy was attacked by the people.#Iranprotests pic.twitter.com/8zp6kwtx1c
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) May 23, 2022
Iran’s regime has a history of building catastrophes. Back in January 2017 dozens of firefighters were killed when a high-rise building collapsed after a blaze in Iran’s capital, Tehran, that left dozens killed and injured.
Reuters reported that Tehran’s then-Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, now the speaker of the regime’s Majlis (parliament), was quoted by a state-run TV outlet at the time that “about 25 firefighters are trapped inside and rescue teams are trying to get them out.”
At the time, Reuters also cited state TV as saying at least 75 people, including 45 firefighters, had been injured.
Local media said that more than 200 firefighters were on the scene at the time of the building’s collapse.
The tower was attached to a multistory shopping mall and located just north of the city’s famous bazaar.
It remains unclear how the fire began but Reuters said Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported it started on the ninth floor. Many have been pointing fingers at the regime officials and their corrupt practices as the reason behind this catastrophe.
