An eight-storey building collapsed on Friday in a busy fleamarket area in the Philippine capital, but no one was hurt in the accident, officials said.
The five-year-old commercial and residential building in the district of Divisoria in downtown Manila first tilted on its side before crashing to the ground hours later.
Franklin Pastrillo, a director of the Office of Civil Defence, said people inside the building were able to evacuate before the collapse.
”The building tilted on its side early in the morning,” Pastrillo said. ”The people inside reported [heard] a loud noise and [felt] the building move as if there was an earthquake.”
”Tenants immediately abandoned the building,” he said.
Policemen, firemen and rescue workers cordoned off the area and also ordered the evacuation of nearby buildings.
Pastrillo said the collapsed building’s foundation was apparently weakened by diggings in nearby construction sites.
”So far we have not received any reports of injuries,” said Manila mayor Lito Atienza. ”I ordered an investigation into this case to determine if there was negligence.” — Sapa-DPA