Death Toll in Tanzania Building Collapse Close to 30

The death toll from a building that collapsed in Tanzania’s largest city rose to 30 early Monday, according to a government agency statement.

Rescue workers have given up hope of finding more survivors after the 16-story building in Dar es Salaam collapsed Friday morning, killing an unknown number of people.

Dar es Salaam officials believe more than 60 people were trapped under the rubble of the building, which was about to be completed.

Tanzania’s National Housing Corporation, a government agency that had joint ownership of the building with a private real-estate developer, said only 17 people have been pulled out of the rubble alive.

The building did not have tenants. Most of those killed were laborers and people passing by. The dead included children who were playing soccer at a nearby playground.

Witnesses say many construction workers -and some children – are still missing.

In recent years building collapses have become frequent in East African countries as some property developers bypass regulations to cut costs.

Three engineers who worked on the building had been taken into custody for questioning, said Dar es Salaam commissioner Said Siddiq.