TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) – A building collapsed at a Tel Aviv construction site on Monday, injuring at least 18 people and trapping several people in the rubble, according to media and police reports.
The collapse sent a large plume of dust floating over the area. Officials were trying to determine the cause of the collapse as rescue crews and medical workers converged on the scene. The Israeli military dispatched search-and-rescue units to assist in the efforts.
Lior Teherani, a fire official, told Channel 10 TV that the incident began with the collapse of a multi-level underground parking garage that was under construction. He said that brought down a crane, which then caused part of a building to collapse as well. Aerial images released by police and shown on Israeli TV showed a large, crater-like hole in the ground.
Small teams of rescue workers, accompanied by search dogs, were digging through the rubble, and two people were taken away on stretchers. Channel 10 showed a team trying to extract a man who was believed to be in grave condition. Police official Moshe Edri said five people were believed to be still trapped.
Mada, the national rescue service, reported 18 people injured, one in serious condition with head injuries.
The incident occurred at a construction site in Ramat Hahayal, a commercial area in northern Tel Aviv. The neighborhood is home to many high-tech businesses, restaurants and a hospital.