At least 6 killed in nursing home collapse in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 5 (Xinhua) -- At least six people were killed and six others remain trapped following the collapse of a nursing home in Belo Horizonte, capital of southeastern Brazil's Minas Gerais state, local authorities said Thursday.

The four-story building, located in the northeast of the city, collapsed around 1:30 a.m. local time (0430 GMT). According to residents, they came to rescue after hearing a roar from the building's collapse.

Fire department teams and civil defense arrived at the spot about half an hour after the incident occurred and isolated the area.

Eight people have been rescued from the ruins, the authorities said.

"We are managing to establish contact with some of the victims, so we are working hard to carry out the rescue as quickly as possible and with the utmost safety," the authorities said.

Local civil defense pointed out that the possible reason for the tragedy could be the structural problems of the building, and confirmed that nearby homes do not pose a structural risk.

Police will undertake further investigation after the rescue work finishes. ■