Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Six dead after building collapses in Iranian city of Abadan

Six dead after building collapses in Iranian city of Abadan

Local officials say up to 80 people are feared trapped under the rubble after a 10-story building collapsed in the city’s busiest street.

At least six people have been killed and dozens more are feared trapped after a 10-story building collapsed in Iran’s southwestern city of Abadan on Monday, according to authorities.

The head of the local branch of the Red Crescent said 32 people have been rescued from under the rubble so far, with 27 being taken to local hospitals.

Large parts of the commercial Metropol building, located in the busiest street at the centre of the city, were reduced to rubble, and officials told state television up to 80 people may still be trapped.

Rescue dogs, helicopters, vehicles, and personnel have been mobilised from across several provinces to assist with the ongoing rescue operation. Those include 80 forces from Tehran, namely 50 firefighters and rescuers to assist operations on the ground and 30 emergency responders to provide aerial assistance.

But the climate and weather are proving a real obstacle as images and videos from the site show dense, orange clouds of dust and pollutants permeating the air on a hot day reaching temperatures of about 45 degrees Celsius.

Shahriar Asgari, a spokesperson for the local environment protection department, told the semi-official ISNA news website that the density of pollutants and dust in the city was more than 42 times the permitted limit on Monday. The situation was no better in other cities across the oil-rich Khuzestan Province.

General view at the site of a 10-storey building collapse in Abadan


Khuzestan and provinces across Iran have sporadically faced dust storms and pollutants in recent years, but the number and intensity of pollution events have increased in recent weeks. Authorities blame a mix of local drought issues and excessive dam construction by neighbouring countries.

State television on Monday showed aerial footage of the destruction of Metropol, which has also damaged residential buildings and shops close to the collapsed building.

One clip also showed a group of angered citizens shouting at local municipality officials present at the scene. Others were watching the rescue operation in horror and desperation. Unconfirmed reports on social media said anti-riot police closed off adjacent streets in the hours following the collapse.

President Ebrahim Raisi, who was in Oman for a state visit at the time of the incident, in addition to his first vice president, Mohammad Mokhber, issued orders for local officials to immediately devote their resources to helping rescue operations.

The governor of Khuzestan, Sadegh Khalilian, said in a statement that two individuals have been arrested in relation to the collapse of the building, without naming them.

The building had been near completion, but was still partly under construction, according to authorities. Inspectors had reportedly issued safety warnings months prior to Metropol’s collapse.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×