MNA� A 12-story building of textile company Plasco has totally collapsed after a conflagration consummated all stories beginning 8:00 AM local time.


The blaze was almost uncontrollable and Tehran�s 10 firefighter centers� staff failed to quench the fire. Around 11:35 local time, 12-story building collapsed with dust covering the much-busy area of Jumhouri St., just in the vicinity of Tehran Great Bazaar.

That part of the Jumhouri had been center for many many textile small shops, with the building itself a textile giant in the area. Authorities say the conflagration started in the 9th story and consummated the whole building. No figures have still been given for possible casualties yet. Police recommends citizens to stay in a safe distant from the incident area.

the building has collapsed almost vertically and the surrounding buildings have remained intact.

37 firefighters had been bussy on the place. 7 firefighters had been treated in the hospital for their minor injuries.

Some buildings have sustained damage.�Influx of people to the area was under control by the police.

The area should be cleared and citizens should listen to police alerts, police said.

The northern wall of the building collapsed first; much of the damage is ascribed to this initial collapse.
Plastic material, highly inflammable as it is, made difficult extinguishing fire in its early stages, which had started from the seconf floor according to reports.
Plasco was one of the oldest buildings in the busy area of Tehran. Police told IRIB that it was estimated that the building was 50-years-old.
The rubble is now being investigated by firefighters to find possible victims.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Mayor of Tehran, has apprared in the area to supervise over the operation.

More than 30 firefighters and people were injured; 7 of them were carried to hospital for treatment. Others had only minor injuries.
Police has a general petition that citizens should not rush into the area so that firefighters and authorities carry out the necessary rescue operations.
Traffic flow to the area have been blocked,�Col. Hassan Abedi, deputy traffic police chief of Greater Tehran was speaking to IRIB's IRNN.

38 firefighters were injured and 23 citizens were injured.