Security forces have arrested the contractor responsible for construction work on the property adjacent to a three-story building that collapsed early Sunday morning, killing one and injuring six.
Investigations allegedly show that the 40-year old contractor, Wael Mohamed Amer, has a lawful building permit for the property, but there were no mechanisms to ensure that the demolition process would be completed safely, especially considering the proximity of the now-collapsed building.
Amer was arrested after the building's residence accused him of being responsible for its collapse.
He had reportedly approached residents about buying the building before demolishing the one next to it, but they rejected his offer.
Civil Defense Forces were at the scene of the collapse, which happened at about 6 am. The Health Ministry's Alexandria deputy, Mohamed al-Sharqawy, said that the victim, Amal Tawfiq Abdel Hamid, 40, was transferred to a morgue, while rescuers are still trying to account for the other residents.
Investigations had uncovered that a demolition order had previously been issued for the building but had gone unheeded.
Alexandria has been plagued by building collapses over the past few years. Building code violations, shoddy workmanship, and unenforced demolition orders have all been cited as contributing to the problem.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
