At least 10 dead and 3 injured in building collapse in Egypt

A building collapse in Cairo’s Kerdasa killed 10 and trapped others, with rescue teams searching for survivors after a suspected gas explosion.

A devastating building collapse in the Egyptian capital on Monday has left at least 10 people dead and eight others injured, with several individuals feared trapped under the rubble, state media reports.

The incident occurred in the working-class neighborhood of Kerdasa, on the outskirts of Cairo. Emergency services, including ambulances and civil defense teams, were swiftly deployed to the scene as search operations continued throughout the day. Rescue teams are still combing through the debris, hoping to locate any survivors, though the situation remains dire.

Eyewitnesses told Al-Akhbar Al-Youm, a state-owned newspaper, that an explosion of a gas cylinder might have triggered the collapse. Authorities have launched a police investigation into the cause of the disaster, but the exact circumstances remain under scrutiny.

The collapse highlights the persistent issue of unevenly enforced building regulations in Cairo, a city home to over 26 million people. Despite the city's rapid urban growth, many structures remain in poor condition, with several dangerously dilapidated buildings scattered across the metropolis. The failure to adhere to proper building codes and regulations has resulted in a number of deadly incidents in recent years, underscoring the urgent need for reform and enforcement.

The tragedy has sparked a wider conversation about urban safety in Egypt, where millions live in high-density, rapidly expanding neighborhoods. As the search for survivors continues, many are calling for more stringent oversight to prevent such disasters from occurring in the future.