CAIRO
At least 17 people were killed and eight others injured early Tuesday when a residential building collapsed in eastern Cairo, an Egyptian official has said.
The six-story building, located in the capital's Matariya neighborhood, collapsed early Tuesday, killing 17 people, Gamal Halawa of the Egyptian civil defense authority told The Anadolu Agency.
Eight survivors were pulled from the debris and taken to hospital for treatment, he added.
A security source said a preliminary investigation had revealed that a demolition order had been issued for the building three years ago, but that the building's owner had never implemented it.
An arrest warrant has since been issued for the landlord, the source added.
Building collapses are frequent in Egypt. Officials blame the phenomenon on construction violations, lax oversight and poor maintenance.
Also on Tuesday, a gas canister exploded in a residential home in the same area, killing six and injuring four, Health Ministry official Khaled al-Khatib told AA.
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