Three multi-story buildings collapsed in historic Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Wednesday night, leaving about 19 people missing Thursday. Rescue workers immediately began looking for survivors, and as of Thursday morning five injured people had been pulled from the rubble and five bodies had been recovered.
According to Mayor Eduardo Paes, the first building to collapse was about 20 stories. It happened around 8:30 p.m. and likely caused the collapse of the two other buildings; one a 4-story and the other a 10-story. Paes said it appears structural damage is responsible for the collapse, not a gas leak.
"There apparently was not an explosion. The collapse occurred because of structural damages. I don't think there was a gas leak,” said Paes.
Police are investigating both possibilities as well as reports of illegal construction on the 16th floor of the tallest building. An official with the city’s Regional Council of Engineering said the two construction projects had not been registered with the council.
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