IFP- Qalibaf, who had left his trip to Qom unfinished to be present at the scene, told IRIB reporter that the blaze in Plasco shopping centre, a 53-year-old building in central Tehran, started at 7:59 am (Tehran local time).

�Firefighters arrived at the scene in 2 to 3 minutes. Fortunately all ordinary citizens and shop owners were evacuated before the collapse using rescue ladders and emergency exit,� he noted.

�I ask people not to believe the rumours and statistics released by unofficial sources.�

�Almost 25 firefighters are entrapped under the building�s heavy rubble, and we are doing our best to rescue them all. It�s very difficult and should be carried out with immediate plans,� Qalibaf added.

Dozens of firefighters have volunteered to help their colleagues even though they were off-duty.