No Belarusians hurt in Riga roof collapse

According to the available information, no Belarusians have been hurt by the collapse of the roof of a supermarket in the Latvian capital Riga.

BelTA learned it from Deputy Head of the Information Office of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Maria Vanshina.

She also said that Belarusian consular workers are staying in touch with representatives of the Latvian police.

Foreign mass media have reported that the number of victims of the Maxima supermarket roof collapse in Riga continues climbing and has already reached 25 people. Apart from that, nearly 30 people have been hospitalized with various degrees of injuries. More people can still be trapped inside. About 500m2 of the building has been affected by the collapse. Rescue workers are on site trying to clear away the debris using heavy machinery.

According to the Latvian fire-fighting and rescue service, the collapse began with one of the walls and the roof. Later on another wall fell when the territory was being cleared.

Representatives of the Riga construction oversight department and other responsible services are expected to attend a briefing session today to say when the building had been examined, when violations had been committed, and who is guilty of it.

Latvian Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis said that safety alarms went off in the supermarket half an hour before the tragedy, but the shop management probably failed to appreciate the seriousness of the situation and respond adequately.

The police has launched a criminal investigation into the collapse of the supermarket in Riga. Earlier reports mentioned an explosion as a possible cause of the collapse, but the information has not been confirmed.

Latvia will be in mourning due to the tragedy.