Leader, President express condolence over building collapse

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei issues a message on Thursday evening expressing his condolence over collapse of the iconic building in downtown Tehran.

According to Press TV, the Leader’s message read, “The painful incident of fire and collapse of a building in the center of the city is source of profound sorrow and concern for me. The valor and sacrifice of those firefighters, who were seriously harmed as they tried to rescue people and went through a difficult test while making committed sacrifice, fills one’s heart with [a sense of] admiration and praise as well as concern and sorrow.”

Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized that at the present time, all efforts should be oriented to saving those trapped below the rubble, and probing the causes of the incident must be the next step.

The Leader also urged all concerned officials to continue their diligent effort and fulfill their urgent duty without care for any possible gossip.

Meanwhile, reacting to the incident, President Hassan Rouhani tasked the Interior Ministry with launching an immediate investigation into the causes of the tragedy.

“The causes of this incident and those responsible must be determined in the shortest possible time and reported, and every necessary measure must be taken by concerned institutions to attend to the injured and compensate the losses incurred by those damaged in the incident,” Rouhani said.

President Rouhani also issued a message expressing his condolences on the martyrdom of firefighters in Tehran building collapse.

In his message, Rouhani lauded the “epic effort” made by firefighters, who “sacrificed their lives to save their compatriots.”

He also thanked all rescue workers, firefighters as well as medical, police and military staff, who took quick steps to manage the incident and provide services to the injured.

Rouhani also asked God’s mercy and forgiveness for those who lost their lives in the building collapse.

Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri and Health Minister Hassan Ghazizadeh Hashemi have also visited the site.

“The administration stands by the nation, and all relevant bodies have been mobilized to save the injured,” Jahanigiri told reporters.

Ghazizadeh Hashemi, for his part, said all hospitals and medical emergency centers in the capital were on high alert and fully prepared to provide aid to those wounded in the blaze and the ensuing building collapse.

'Fire caused by problem in electric circuit'

Meanwhile, Mohsen Hamedani, a security official with Tehran Governor General's Office, said initial investigations suggest that the fire had been caused by a short circuit in the electrical system of the building, Tasnim news agency reported.

"Reports that the blaze was of a security nature are not correct and the incident was the result of totally natural causes," he added.

The building came down at around 11:30 a.m. local time (08:00 GMT), which was shown live on state television.

A side of the building buckled first, tumbling close to a firefighter perched on a ladder and spraying water on the blaze.

​Nearby buildings including the embassies of Turkey, Germany and the UK have been evacuated. Authorities at Tehran's governor's office have ruled out terrorism.  

The tower was inaugurated in 1962 and named after a plastics manufacturing company. It was the tallest building in the city at the time of its construction. It included shopping centers and clothing workshops.

ME