Plasco, Day Six: 'Debris Removal Will Be Completed in Two Days'

Six days have passed since the fire and collapse of the Plasco building in Iran; the Tehran Fire Department states that debris removal from the ruins of this complex will be completed in 48 hours. As of Tuesday morning, rescuers have not found any new bodies aside from those discovered the previous day. Saeed Sharifzadeh told Mehr News Agency that debris removal from the 17-story Plasco building will be completed in two days. He added that 'most of the iron materials have been removed from the site, and we are currently collecting the rubble.' The spokesperson for the Fire Department also mentioned that 70 percent of the debris has been cleared from the site. Despite this, rescuers have not found any new bodies from Monday to Tuesday morning. So far, only six deceased individuals, including two firefighters, have been recovered from the ruins. According to initial statistics, and considering the number of bodies found so far, about 20 more people remain trapped under the rubble. Reports indicate that the possibility of finding any survivors under the debris may be unlikely. Mr. Sharifzadeh had predicted on Monday that all bodies would be recovered by the end of that day. However, this prediction did not come true, and as ISNA reports, 'the families of the victims are still waiting.' Nevertheless, the spokesperson for the Fire Department stated that some individual firefighter equipment has been found among the rubble. Early Tuesday morning, firefighters and rescuers continued their work under snow and rain; reports indicate that several active firefighters did not leave the site during their rest shifts and remained in the area. According to the latest statistics, the number of injured has exceeded 200, with 47 of them hospitalized. Some Iranian newspapers and publications continue to dedicate part of their pages on Tuesday to the Plasco incident, the dilapidated structures in Tehran, and the dangers lurking in the capital. The newspaper Shargh noted that the Plasco incident shows that 'large public organizations like the municipality and its affiliates are poor in terms of rescue operations, firefighting, and safety equipment,' and that there have been 'serious shortcomings' in updating rescue groups or securing old structures. The newspaper Arman also stated that the Plasco incident 'will bring the Minister of Interior and the Mayor of Tehran to Parliament.' The Mayor of Tehran is among those whose performance has faced widespread criticism in recent days, including on social media and citizen networks.