Georgia: Several dead after part of building collapses

At least five people, including two children, were killed when a residential building partially collapsed in the Georgian Black Sea resort city of Batumi, the country's interior ministry said on Saturday.

The five-story building collapsed on Friday, and several people are believed to be trapped in the rubble.

"So far emergency responders have saved two citizens, who were brought to hospital, and recovered five bodies," police said in a statement.

However, one of the injured died after being transferred to the hospital, they said later.

Prime Minister Irakli Garibachvili and Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri traveled to Batumi where hundreds of rescue workers were searching for survivors.

Rescue teams were initially using their bare hands to remove the huge mounds of rubble before professional equipment arrived at the scene of the collapse.

'Violation of safety rules'

The accident has been blamed on unsafe renovation work, authorities said.

Three people have been arrested in an investigation into the collapse; the owner of a ground-floor apartment, and two construction workers he had hired.

The two workers were acting under the direction of the owner and "in gross violation of safety rules," which ultimately led to the collapse of one of the entrances of the apartment building, according to a police statement.

All three face between two and 10 years in prison if convicted.

The residential building was constructed in 1981, and over the years, two additional floors were subsequently added, along with a lift.

adi/rc (AFP, dpa)