The death toll from a building collapse in Iran's southern city of Abadan has reached 14, the official IRNA news agency reported Tuesday, as the authorities announced the arrest of officials accused of being "responsible" for the tragedy.
The 10-story residential and commercial building partially collapsed on Monday, leaving at least 80 people under the rubble, according to state TV.
"According to the latest figures, 14 people died and 32 were injured," rising from Monday's death toll of six, Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi told the official IRNA news agency from Abadan.
In addition to those confirmed dead or injured, dozens more are feared still trapped under the rubble.
Search efforts continue in a bid to rescue any "survivors," Vahidi said.
According to the earlier reports, the premises was still under construction. The semi-official Mehr news agency had identified the building as a residential-commercial property on Amir Kabir street in the city, which is close to the border with Iraq.
State TV said emergency teams were being dispatched from other cities to help with the rescue operation, with two teams of rescue dogs, a helicopter and seven rescue vehicles already at the scene. It showed footage of angry Abadan residents shouting slogans against the city authorities.
