Amman building collapse: Baby saved as rescue efforts continue

Rescue teams in Jordan have saved an infant and were searching for several others trapped under the rubble of a collapsed building in Amman, where six people have been confirmed dead so far.

At least 25 people were in a dilapidated residential building in the Jordanian capital’s Jabal al-Weibdeh district when it crumbled on Tuesday.

“There are at least 10 people under the rubble … there are signs of life,” government spokesperson Faisal Shboul said on Wednesday during a visit to the site.

Civil defence rescuers worked through the night to remove collapsed concrete roofs and lift debris in a desperate search for survivors. About a dozen people had been evacuated so far, several with serious injuries, hospital sources said.

“We are assuming that those trapped are alive,” Civil Defence Chief Hatem Jaber told reporters, adding that more than 350 rescuers were involved, as well as drones and police dogs.

The latest survivor to be pulled out of the debris was a five-month-old baby who was in stable condition, a hospital source said.

It remained unclear what caused Tuesday’s collapse. Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh ordered an investigation as officials blamed the building’s state of disrepair.

The Amman public prosecutor, Hassan al-Abdallat, told the official Petra News Agency that three people had been charged with four counts of “causing death” and seven counts of “causing harm”.

He said his office would form a technical committee to determine the cause of the collapse and identify those responsible.

State media identified the suspects as one of the building’s owners, its maintenance contractor and its maintenance technician.

Jabal al-Weibdeh is an older district of Amman that is popular among wealthier residents and expatriates but also includes some poorer areas.