Al-Monitor- Iranians are outraged and saddened by the destruction of the country's�oldest high-rise, the Plasco building, which�collapsed Jan. 19 after being engulfed by�fire. The 17-story structure, completed in 1962, was the center of clothing production in Tehran. The�presence of textiles�may have led to the rapid�spread of the flames along with building managers' having�ignored�repeated warnings about the lack of adherence to fire safety regulations. Many Iranians are calling for the resignation of Tehran Mayor�Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf for mismanagement.

The Plasco, located downtown on�Jomhuri Street, stood�around the corner from the British Embassy and the main foreign exchange offices on Ferdowsi Street.�Sasan Aghaei, a journalist with the Reformist daily�Etemaad, tweeted, �Plasco is one of the symbols of Iran taking steps toward modernization and industrialization. Today, one of the symbols of Tehran collapsed.�

The fire at the�Plasco reportedly began at 7:59 a.m., leading to the dispatch of 200 firefighters, who�had success battling�the devastating blaze. Journalists rushed to report on the fire, which was also recorded on camera, including by Iranian state TV, which carried live coverage of the fire and the building's collapse at 11:15.

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