Three dead and over 40 injured as Bahrain building collapses

Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman has ordered an investigation into the incident

Bahrain rescue crews look for survivors from the rubble of a collapsed building in the Salmaniya neighbourhood in Manama. Reuters

Three people have died and more than 40 injured after a residential building collapsed in Bahrain last night following a gas cylinder explosion.

A large rescue operation was underway to free people trapped in the rubble of the building in the residential Manama neighbourhood of Salmaniyah. Many of the injured were transported to hospital.

The building is believed to have collapsed when a cooking gas cylinder exploded.

The rescue teams retrieved two bodies from the rubble and a third person found alive later died in hospital, the Interior Ministry reported on Wednesday morning.

Local newspaper, Al Watan, reported that more than 70 people had been injured in the blast that took place at around 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

The Health Minister said that 15 ambulances were on the scene and that seven of those caught in the explosion remained in critical condition.

The majority of those caught up in the collapse were of Bengali nationality. The Health Ministry is treating the wounded at the Defence Forces Hospital and King Hamad University Hospital in Manama.

The Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman ordered an investigation into the building collapse.

He has directed local authorities to dedicate all necessary resources to the search and rescue operation.

It is yet unknown if any others are still buried in the rubble.

He directed the Health Ministry to set up a dedicated medical team from different government hospitals to provide required treatment for the injured.

The Prime Minister has also ordered support for the families of the victim. No further details were given.