NEWS: Dubai Airport Terminal Collapses, page 1

Five people were killed and 12 others injured after part of a terminal under construction at Dubai International Airport collapsed. However, there are reports that the death toll of todays accident could be even higher.

edition.cnn.com
An official of Al-Naboodah Contracting, the main contractor at the site, told The Associated Press: "At least eight people were killed on the spot and some died in hospital, but we don't know how many."

Workers said they saw up to 40 injured people being taken away, AP reported.

About 150 construction workers were on the site when a large wall of the building collapsed at 11 a.m. (0700 GMT), AP reported.

"When it collapsed, everyone ran for help. Some people were trapped under and were shouting," a worker at the site told Reuters.

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Dubai airport handles 22 million passengers a year. At least it collapsed now, and not while the building was at full occupany.

The unoccupied Terminal 3 is part of a $4 billion expansion at the airport.

The airport's Web site says the design consultant for the new terminal is Aeroports de Paris International. The French company also operates Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, where part of a terminal collapsed in May, killing four people. Don't get the wrong idea, an Aeroports de Paris official in Dubai said the firm was not involved in the construction where Monday's accident occurred.

"We did the architecture, but we have nothing to do with the construction," the official said.

[edit on 27-9-2004 by MacKiller]

[edit on 28-9-2004 by Nerdling]