A building collapsed in Brazil's Pernambuco state on Friday, claiming the lives of 14 civilians, including six children, according to the state officials. Pernambuco's Secretariat of Social Defense (SDS) said that the deceased included children aged from five to 16 years, CNN reported.
An 18-year-old man was rescued alive from the rubble but later succumbed to his injuries. Two 15-year-old girls and a 65-year-old woman were rescued with the help of sniffer dogs, according to firefighters.
The Paulista city hall said that the building was occupied by homeless people despite a ban on living there. It described a 'chronic' problem of people living in forbidden buildings in the area.
Brazil President Luiz Inácio da Silva was born in the Pernambuco state. He was apprised of the issue of people residing in forbidden buildings during a recent visit, said officials.
This is the second building collapse in Pernambuco in less than three months, after five people were killed during a similar disintegration in neighbouring Olinda.
(with AP inputs)
