6 dead after building collapse in Philadelphia
Posted June 5, 2013 3:16 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The mayor of Philadelphia says 6 people are dead after a building being demolished collapsed onto thrift shop on Wednesday.
Fire officials earlier had reported one woman was killed and 13 people were injured in the accident. But body bags were removed from the rubble hours later.
A four-story building under demolition collapsed onto a neighboring two-story Salvation Army Thrift Store at 10:45 a.m., trapping people under mountains of crushed concrete and splintered wood, said Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers.
Those pulled from the rubble suffered minor injuries and were taken to area hospitals where they were in stable condition, he said.
Earlier in the day mayor Michael Nutter said rescue workers were searching for more survivors.
Nutter told reporters “firefighters are actively engaged in a search and rescue operation. It is delicate, this is dangerous work.”
The incident occurred in the heart of Philadelphia’s Center City.
Police urged the public to stay away from the area while rescuers dug through the rubble.
With files from The Associated Press
