CAIRO -- At least 13 people were killed when a seven-story building collapsed in the western Cairo suburb of Matariya early Tuesday, police officials said.
The officials said eight residents of the building were also injured when the building collapsed early Tuesday. Rescue teams are searching for other survivors trapped under the rubble and several surrounding buildings have been evacuated.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak on the record, said the collapse was caused by unauthorized construction. Neighbors said four floors were illegally built on the old building.
Building collapses are common in Egypt, where shoddy construction is widespread in shantytowns, poor city neighborhoods and rural areas. With a housing shortage and lax government oversight, developers seeking bigger profits frequently build without authorization or permits. (AP)