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Building collapses in west Norway Hopes fade for missing in Norway
(about 7 hours later)
Five people are missing after a block of flats collapsed in the western Norwegian coastal town of Alesund. Hopes are fading for five people who are missing after a block of flats collapsed in the western Norwegian coastal town of Alesund.
Fifteen residents were evacuated from the modern six-storey block, and two are said to be slightly injured. It now seems clear a rockslide hit the back of the building early Wednesday, demolishing its lower floors.
The building is partially built into a steep mountainside and local reports say the collapse may have been caused by a landslide. Fifteen residents were brought out of the modern six-storey block, with two suffering moderate injuries.
The search for survivors has been hampered by fire, a gas leak and second rockslide, police say. Rescue teams and sniffer dogs are at the scene, but their efforts are being hampered by fire.
'Rescue efforts' There has also been a second rockslide.
Investigators are not sure if the first landslide was a "direct or indirect cause of the collapse". "The chances of finding survivors are fading but we are hanging on to the slim hope that somebody may be in a room at the back of the building," Kjell Kvernseth, a police official in charge of the rescue operation, told news agency AFP.
Alesund Police Operations Leader Magne Tjoennoey said: "There has been a new slide in the same place. It hit the building and shook it. 'Risk of explosion'
"The fire has flared up again and is making our rescue efforts very difficult" Firefighters are continuing to tackle a blaze in the building, started when a propane gas tank caught fire.
Rescue teams from around the region have been called to the town, 350km (220 miles) north-west of the capital Oslo. There were enormous rocks - not just rocks - half the hill had slid down into the bottom floors Lars Aage EldoeyResident
About 20 people were believed to have been inside the relatively new block of flats in the town centre when the bottom floors caved in. Rescue teams from around the region have been called to the town, 350km (220 miles) north-west of the capital Oslo, but are unable to get into the building at present.
Residents have been describing how the building seemed to leap forward and then collapse. "The fire, the risk of explosion from the gas tank, possible rockslides and the risk that the entire building could collapse mean we are not able to enter the building at the moment," said another police official, Magne Tjoennoey.
The collapse of the bottom floors have also made it difficult for rescuers to get into the building to search for survivors, and they are using ladders and cranes. Neighbours said they were woken at about 0330 (0230 GMT) by a loud noise and trembling.
Mr Tjoennoey said 15 people had so far been taken to the town's hospital, and two were "slightly injured, the others unharmed". Building 'leapt'
"We are trying to account for other people," he told the Associated Press. "We first thought it was an earthquake," said Lars Aage Eldoey, who managed to escape with his wife from the top floor.
"We don't know where they are or whether they were in the building or elsewhere." When he got out on the balcony he realised what had happened, he said.
He said all available police, rescue and fire resources had been mobilised. "There were enormous rocks - not just rocks - half the hill had slid down into the bottom floors," he told state broadcaster NRK.
Television pictures showed firefighters spraying the building with high-pressure hoses, and a casualty being taken away on a stretcher. Residents described how the building seemed to leap forward and then collapse.
Geologists are at the scene to assess the risk of further rockslides.
TV images showed twisted balconies hanging from the mangled wreckage of the building, as smoke billowed from inside.
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