More evacuations as eighth victim found in French building collapse

MARSEILLE: Rescue workers Friday pulled an eighth body from the rubble of two dilapidated buildings which collapsed in the southern French city of Marseille, as residents were evacuated and nearby buildings inspected.

Officials had feared five residents and three visitors were in one of the buildings which suddenly crumbled Monday morning in a working-class district just a few steps from the bustling port.

The second building had been condemned and boarded up because of safety risks, while a third partially collapsed during Monday’s search operation.

Dozens of residents on the Rue d’Aubagne were evacuated as workers carefully searched the site, fearful that more destabilised buildings would fall.

At one point the search was halted as two more buildings at risk of falling on rescuers were carefully torn down. — AFP