Tanzanians dig for survivors after building collapse

2013-03-29 1

ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)

STORY: A building under construction collapsed in the center of Tanzania's commercial capital Dar es Salaam on Friday and rescuers searched for survivors under the rubble, with conflicting reports about the number of dead.

A senior police officer initially told reporters 15 people were killed and two people were pulled out alive. Hours later, the mayor for central Dar es Salaam, Jerry Silaa, said two people were killed and 17 survivors had been found.

The building, in the Kariakoo district, was at least 12 stories high.

Video from a social media website appeared to show some cars were crushed in the collapse and people using their hands to pull away masonry.

Rescue workers said they heard the voices of people trapped, possibly including boys who had been playing soccer nearby when the building collapsed.

Some witnesses said construction workers may also have been trapped.