Death Toll From Building Collapse in Magnitogorsk Climbs to 33 - Emergencies Ministry

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd January, 2019) The death toll from the residential building collapse in Russia's west-central city of Magnitogorsk, located in the Ural Federal District, rose to 33 people as a male body was pulled from the rubble, a spokesperson of the Russian Emergencies Ministry told Sputnik.

"The body of a man has been pulled from the rubble.

A total of 33 people have become the victims [of the incident]," the spokesperson said late on Wednesday.

One of the blocks of the 10-storey residential building in Magnitogorsk collapsed on Monday, destroying and damaging dozens of apartments. Preliminary data have shown that the collapse might have been caused by a natural gas leak.

The search and rescue operation on the site of the incident is underway. However, the activities have been hindered by the risk of debris collapsing.