In the context of following up on the building collapse incident in the Al-Qubba area of Tripoli, specifically on Al-Jadeed Street, sources confirmed to “Red TV” that the collapsed building consists of two parts: one part comprising six floors, and another consisting of three floors, contrary to what was circulated about it being a single building consisting of five residential floors.
From the site, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Obeid, a member of the Tripoli Municipal Council, explained that the municipality and the competent authorities have been present at the location since three in the morning to follow up on the developments of the situation on the ground. He pointed out that the Tripoli Municipality had issued an evacuation warning for the aforementioned buildings yesterday, and most of the residents had already been evacuated, with the exception of one family consisting of five members who refused to leave their home.
He added that one of the girls was rescued this morning, while the father, mother, and two children are still trapped under the rubble so far, confirming that the rescue teams are still hearing their voices as they are trapped inside one of the rooms, and are working hard to reach them in difficult circumstances and limited capabilities.
Dr. Al-Obeid confirmed that the available equipment is old and modest, but the Civil Defense personnel, the Lebanese Red Cross, and the Relief Authority have been making strenuous efforts since the early hours of the morning, stressing the need to provide greater support and additional capabilities to speed up rescue operations.
Regarding warnings and evacuation, he reported that there is a trend to provide temporary shelter in the Al-Mina area inside hotels, but some residents refuse to move to these centers, preferring to find other alternatives to hotel accommodation, due to their attachment to their homes that they have lived in for decades.
In conclusion, he noted that the city of Tripoli suffers from neglect and marginalization, calling on all officials and those concerned to attend and follow up on this file closely, because Tripoli is the second capital of Lebanon and deserves attention and care.
It is worth noting that MP Melhem Khalaf arrived at the site, where he inspected the scene of the accident in the field, amidst a state of anxiety and anticipation, waiting for what the coming hours will reveal in terms of the results of the search operations.
