Latvia: Riga’s Maxima Supermarket Roof Collapses, 32 Dead

At least two people were killed and a number of people are feared trapped after a Maxima store roof collapsed on Thursday in Riga, the capital of Lativa.
Latvia: Riga’s Maxima Supermarket Roof Collapses, 32 Dead
Rescuers work at the Maxima grocery store after its roof collapsed in Riga, Latvia, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013. Latvian rescue officials say a roof at a large grocery store in the country's capital collapsed and killed several people and injuring more than a dozen people. AP Photo/Roman Koksarov
Jack Phillips
Updated:

UPDATE: At least 32 people, including three firefighters, are now reported to have died in the incident, emergency medical officials said Friday. More people may still be trapped.

At least three people were killed and a number of people are feared trapped after a Maxima grocery store’s roof collapsed on Thursday in Riga, the capital of Latvia.

Reuters reported that 20 people were injured in the accident, while the BBC said that 10 people suffered injury. The Associated Press reported that three people were killed, including a firefighter.

The cause of the collapse has yet to be determined, said Latvian rescue service spokeswoman Inga Vetere.

Rescue workers are looking for more people who were trapped in the rubble, she said.

Riga deputy mayor Andris Ameriks said that the collapse could have been caused by an explosion.

Authorities told The Associated Press that the accident happened at about 6 p.m. local time.

Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman Viktorija Sembele said the cause of the collapse, which included about 500 square meters (5,300 square feet) of roof, wasn’t clear.

Witnesses told Latvian media agencies that they heard a blast. However, AP reported that a garden with trees and plants was being constructed on the roof.

The Maxima store was built in 2011.

Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips
Breaking News Reporter
Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter who covers a range of topics, including politics, U.S., and health news. A father of two, Jack grew up in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
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