Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend I.Alizade / Another body has been pulled from the ruins of a 16-storey building that recently collapsed in Baku, a Trend correspondent reports from the scene of the incident. The deceased has been named as 30-year old resident of Baku, Vusal Alakbarov, Tural Museyibov, spokesman for the Ministry of Emergency Situations announced.
A building which was under construction by Mutaffakir company at the intersection of Nakhchivani and Mukhtarov streets collapsed on 28 August at 17:00 hours. Initial accounts revealed that gross violation of construction rules had caused its collapse. According to official reports, the death toll has reached 19, with 5 people injured. Six more people may still be buried under the ruins.
The Director General of the Mutafakkir construction company, Ali Muradov, engineer Askar Aliyev, and master builders Farhad Hasanov and Gadir Salimov were arrested in connection with the incident for contravening Articles 222.2 (violation of safety regulations in construction work, mining or other work resulting in death) and Article 222.1 (violation of construction safety regulations) of the Criminal Code. An operative investigation group has been established at the Azerbaijani Ministry of Emergency Situations.
On 5 September, another person was detained in connection with the collapse of the building. Akif Maharramov, head of the Housing Cooperative of the Executive Power of Baku, was arrested on an initial 3-month sentence in accordance with contravention of Article 308.1 (misappropriation of office duties) of the Criminal Code at the resolution of the Yasamal District Court. Vugar Aliyev, spokesman for the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan, informed Trend.