Engineers say a large section of Wyoming highway where four Colorado family members plunged to their deaths might have totally collapsed in a matter of minutes.

It had been raining for hours Monday night when local authorities warned the Constantinides family, among others, about potential flood conditions near North Brush Creek Campground around midnight.

Not long afterward, the family's van drove into a washed-out portion of Wyoming highway 130 and was swept about 75 yards down Brush Creek. Laurel Constantindies and her three daughters died.

The husband and father, Alex Constantindies, who had grown up in Laramie, survived and escape the vehicle. He and a passerby later rescued Carbon County Emergency management Coordinator John Ziegler, whose car washed out while he was trying to assist in flood protection efforts.

Ziegler said he was "very fortunate" to have survived.

Bruce Burrows of the Wyoming Transportation Department says engineers are studying what happened to the roadway early Tuesday morning. He says preliminary assessments indicate the creek swollen with rain and snowmelt may have undermined the roadway over some hours and then gouged a 25-foot-wide, 9-foot-deep hole in a matter of minutes.

MUMBAI, India (AP) — A half-finished building that was being constructed illegally in a suburb of India's financial capital has collapsed, killing 31 people and injuring 59 others, police said Friday.

The building in the Mumbai suburb of Thane caved in at 6:08 p.m. Thursday, police said. Rescue workers with sledgehammers and gasoline-powered saws were struggling to break through the rubble in their search for possible survivors.

"There may be (a) possibility people have been trapped inside right now," the local police commissioner K.P. Raghuvanshi said Friday.

Among the 31 dead, were 11 children, police said.

At least four floors of the building had been completed and were occupied. Workers had finished three more floors and were adding an eighth floor when it collapsed, police inspector Digamber Jangale said. Some of the dead were construction workers staying in the building as they worked on it, Jangale said.

The building did not have the necessary clearances from local authorities, he said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the structure to collapse, but Raghuvanshi said the building structure was weak. Police were searching for the builders to arrest them, he said.

"The inquiry is ongoing. We are all busy with the rescue operation; our priority now is to rescue as many as possible," he said.

Police with rescue dogs were searching the building Friday, which appeared to have buckled and collapsed upon itself. Rescuers and nearby residents stood on the remains of the roof trying to get to the people trapped inside. Residents carried the injured into ambulances and one man carried a small child caked white with dust from the wreckage.

Raghuvanshi said rescue workers had saved 15 people from the wreckage.

Building collapses are common in India as builders try to cut corners by using poor quality materials and multi-storied structures are built with inadequate supervision.

A local resident, who did not give his name, said the site was only meant to hold a smaller structure and said officials turned a blind eye to the problem.

"They made an 8 story building of what was supposed to be a 4 story building. People from the municipality used to visit the building but the builder still continued to add floors," he said.

Comment by KM on April 26, 2013 at 8:39pm: http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/26/world/asia/bangladesh-building-collap...

50 more survivors found amid Bangladesh building rubble

By Tom Watkins and Farid Ahmed, CNN

updated 2:30 PM EDT, Fri April 26, 2013

Rescue workers look for trapped garment workers at the collapsed Rana Plaza building in Savar, outside Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Friday, April 26. Authorities fear that many others remain trapped in the ruins of the building, which housed garment factories and shops, the national news agency reported.

Savar, Bangladesh (CNN) -- Rescuers tunneling Friday into the rubble of the eight-story building that collapsed Wednesday discovered another 50 people trapped on what remained of its third floor, an official said.

Bangladesh Fire Service Deputy Director Maj. Mizamur Rahman said rescuers were hoping to free them within a few hours. As the effort was under way, they dropped food and bottled water to those who called out.

Also Friday, a woman who gave birth under the debris was rescued, along with her infant, a fire service official said, according to the state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS). Earlier, the agency had reported two women had given birth; it did not explain the change.

The news of survival and new life came as the 72-hour deadline to change the operation from rescue to recovery approached, even as hundreds more people were feared still trapped amid the rubble.

Comment by KM on April 24, 2013 at 3:00pm: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22275597

Bangladesh Dhaka building collapse leaves 80 dead

The army is helping with the rescue operation on the outskirts of Dhaka

At least 80 people have been killed and many more are feared trapped after an eight-storey building collapsed on the outskirts of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, government officials say.

Frantic efforts are under way to rescue those beneath the debris. Hundreds of people were injured by the collapse.

The army is helping with the rescue operation in the Savar area.

Building collapses are common in Bangladesh where many multi-storey blocks are built in violation of rules.

The eight-storey building contained a clothing factory, a bank and several other shops. It collapsed during the morning rush hour.

Many people have gathered near the scene looking for friends and relatives.

Dhaka resident Tahsin Mahmoo described the scene as a looking like a "war zone" to the BBC, adding that appeals had been put out for citizens to donate blood.

Lengths of textile were used to help some survivors out of the building

Rescue workers are using concrete cutters and cranes to dig through the rubble, the BBC's Anbarasan Ethirajan in Dhaka reports.

"Already we've rescued three to four hundred people... Now we are cutting through the concrete walls and trying to get inside with the help of sniffer dogs," fire brigade chief Ali Ahmed Khan told the BBC Bengali service.

Many onlookers also joined the rescue effort using their bare hands.

Police told local media that the rear of the building had suddenly started to collapse on Wednesday morning, and within a short time the whole structure - except the main pillar and parts of the front wall - had caved-in, triggering panic.

An eyewitness described the moment of the building's collapse: "It became completely dark on this side. There was a lot of dust from the collapsing debris, so we ran downstairs. When we came out we saw the whole building collapsed."

Only the ground floor of the Rana Plaza in Sava remained intact after the collapse, officials said.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on April 16, 2013 at 6:29am: http://allafrica.com/stories/201304150385.html
Nigeria: Four Die, Three Injured in Osun Building Collapse
By Gbenga Olarinoye, 15 April 2013
Osogbo — No fewer than four people were, weekend, feared dead, while three others were injured when a dilapidated building collapsed at Moboreje area of Ikirun, headquarters of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Osun State.

According to sources, the collapsed building located close to a private secondary school and mosque was said to be in a bad condition until it eventually collapsed.

The sources added that the residents were relaxing in front of the building in the evening when the house suddenly collapsed.

It was further gathered that only the occupants who had gone to the mosque for the evening prayers escaped the unfortunate incident.

Efforts by residents of the area to rescue the victims did not yield any positive result.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on April 14, 2013 at 5:42pm

http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-04/14/content_16399553.htm

Building collapse kills 2 in Guizhou

Updated: 2013-04-14 00:16

(Xinhua)

GUIYANG - At least two people were killed and three others injured in a building collapse in southwest China's Guizhou province on Saturday, local authorities said.

The accident occurred around 6 pm in a brewery in Renhuai city, sources with the municipal government said.

An initial investigation showed that the collapse was caused by the landslide of foundation, on which a workshop is being built.

Rescue work remains ongoing by 11 pm as more people are feared of being trapped.

A further investigation into the cause of the accident is underway.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on April 13, 2013 at 7:02pm: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/abandoned-building-queen...

Abandoned building near Jamaica Ave. in Queens collapses

The collapse sent bricks flying in all directions and badly damaged a vehicle that was parked nearby. The cause is still being investigated and the search is on for an victims, though it's believed no one was inside at the time.

An abandoned Queens building collapsed Friday evening, sending a storm of bricks raining onto the street below.

FDNY officials said no one was injured when the roof of the 79th St. building near Jamaica Ave. sank into the second story about 6:30 p.m. But a blue Dodge Odyssey was pancaked by falling bricks.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on April 11, 2013 at 7:46pm: http://www.nola.com/traffic/index.ssf/2013/04/4_workers_injured_aft...

4 workers injured after two houses collapse in Treme

Two historic houses in the Treme neighborhood, which were in the process of being raised, collapsed within minutes on Wednesday morning, injuring several construction workers inside, a statement from the New Orleans Fire Department said. Emergency responders arrived about 11:45 a.m. to a report of injured workers and quickly called for NOFD backup once they arrived at the scene in the 1300 block of Governor Nicholls street and found two houses collapsed into a pile of rubble, authorities said.

Firefighters first searched underneath the structures to ensure that no one had been trapped and then, along with EMS responders, worked to transport and treat several construction workers who were inside one the buildings at the time of the collapse. Four workers were transported to an area hospital with minor injuries, EMS spokeswoman Susan Robinson said.

NOFD officials said that one of the workers sustained a shoulder injury and another a broken arm but said the nature of the injuries suffered by the other two workers was not immediately known.

The two doubles, which date to 1908, had been vacant since Hurricane Katrina and are owned by Providence Community Housing, a non-profit established after the hurricane to renovate damaged properties provide affordable housing for New Orleans residents.

Two houses collapse in TremeDown in the Treme: Two houses under renovation collapse in the 1300 block of Gov. Nicholls Street in the Treme neighborhood, causing minor injuries to four workmen on Wednesday morning, April 10, 2013.

The houses were part of the organization's offsite rentals for Faubourg Lafitte, of which 47 units have already been completed. The two homes would have contributed another nine units for low-to-moderate income families, a statement from Providence said.

The construction company working on the home was PAR Contractors Inc. of New Orleans, a spokeswoman for Providence said.

Andreanecia Morris, vice president of Home-ownership and Community Development for the organization, said that the workers inside of the building heard a loud crack before both structures came crashing down.

"They felt a wind and heard a crack and then tried to get out of there," Morris said. "Both buildings came crashing down almost at once," she said, adding that the building at 1312 and 1314 Gov. Nicholls, came down first. The workers were on the porch of the building on a lunch break when the structure fell, Morris said.

Neighbor Dreka Shantrell, 32, who lives across the street from where the houses used to stand said she was sitting on her front porch when the buildings collapsed.

"Everything fell down all at once. It was so fast and there was so much dust," Shantrell said. "You couldn't see anything at all for a few minutes."

NOFD said in a statement that the incident had been turned over to the City's Department of Code Enforcement.

Terri North, president and CEO of Providence, said members of the Historic District Landmarks Commission were on the scene and condemned the buildings in the aftermath of the collapse.

"We don't know when yet, but the buildings will now be demolished," North said.

"I'm still in shock. We tried our best to preserve them in the best possible way," she said.

Providence previously planned to move 33 historic homes out of the future site of the Veterans Affairs medical complex in Mid-City and into lots around the city to be rehabbed and sold.

But there were numerous problems with the program Providence was participating in, a plan run by the city in coordination with Builders of Hope. The homes sat exposed to the elements for up to six months, and at most a third of them could be salvaged, the group has said.

"PAR Contractors has worked with Providence in the past to restore historic homes without incident," officials at Providence said in a statement.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on April 11, 2013 at 7:30pm

http://news.yahoo.com/building-collapses-india-least-31-killed-0606...

Building collapses in India; at least 31 killed

Associated Press – Fri, Apr 5, 2013

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on April 9, 2013 at 7:01pm: http://www.pakwatan.com/pakistan-news.php?id=6853

Building collapsed in Karachi, 3 killed

09/04/13 KARACHI: Three people were killed
when the roof of their apartment in Karachi’s Kharadar area collapsed on
Tuesday.

Those who died include a woman and a child.

Last week
Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) declared 6 buildings as dangerous and
unstable, while one building situated in Saddar needs immediate repairs. This
was said in a survey report prepared by the Technical Committee of the SBCA for
dangerous buildings.

Similarly there are many such dangerous structures
in Karachi which can collapse at any moment of time and unfortunately these
buildings are housing thousands of people.

Karachi is a sprawling city
of over 18 million with a weak mechanism when it comes to implementation of
building regulations.

Comment by Starr DiGiacomo on April 2, 2013 at 10:09pm: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Building+collapses+Albania+scra...

Building collapses in Albania, scrap metal collector feared dead

By The Associated Press April 2, 2013 3:05 PM

TIRANA, Albania - Police in Albania say an abandoned power company building has collapsed in the capital, trapping a 32-year-old man who was collecting scrap metal.

The incident occurred Tuesday, and it was not immediately clear whether the man had survived the collapse of the three-story building in Tirana. Rescuers were looking through the rubble for signs of life and police were alerted by members of the missing man's family.

Scrap metal collection, often in dangerous condition, is widespread in Albania, where many of the 2.8-million population live in poverty.

Comment by KM on March 29, 2013 at 2:08pm: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21973907

Tanzania: Dar es Salaam building collapse 'traps dozens'

Some people in the rubble have reportedly been calling for help

At least three people have been killed and dozens more are trapped after a multi-storey building collapsed in the centre of the main Tanzanian city, Dar es Salaam, rescue workers say.

Thirteen people have been pulled out of the ruins alive, officials say.

Some 45 people, including construction workers, residents and children from a Koranic school, are missing.

The BBC's Hassan Mhelela says the 12-floor building under construction is now a "huge pile of chaos".

"I thought there was an earthquake and then I heard screaming. The whole building fell on itself," eyewitness Musa Mohamed told the AFP news agency.

Our reporter says a huge crane is pulling out a mass of iron bars to get access to the centre of the building, where some people are thought to be still alive.

Trapped victims are said to have been making phone calls to friends and relatives.

Bulldozers are also being used to move the rubble, our reporter says.

He says there are large crowds of onlookers, as well as rescue workers and armed police officers at the scene.

The collapsed building was near a mosque, as well as other residential and commercial properties in central Dar es Salaam.

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You need to be a member of Earth Changes and the Pole Shift to add comments!

50 more survivors found amid Bangladesh building rubble

Bangladesh Dhaka building collapse leaves 80 dead

Building collapse kills 2 in Guizhou

Updated: 2013-04-14 00:16

(Xinhua)

Abandoned building near Jamaica Ave. in Queens collapses

The collapse sent bricks flying in all directions and badly damaged a vehicle that was parked nearby. The cause is still being investigated and the search is on for an victims, though it's believed no one was inside at the time.

4 workers injured after two houses collapse in Treme

Building collapses in India; at least 31 killed

Building collapses in Albania, scrap metal collector feared dead

Tanzania: Dar es Salaam building collapse 'traps dozens'

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