Students killed in Haiti school collapse
School collapse in Port-au-Prince
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Saturday, 08, Nov 2008 08:53
Rescue teams have begun a frantic search for survivors at a Haiti school that collapsed, killing at least 50 and injuring many more.
Rescuers have been attempting to dig out students trapped in the rubble at La Promesse College, a school with 500 students in the suburb of Petionville.
The final death toll is expected to be much higher, an official at the scene told Associated Press.
According to reports, a third storey was under construction on top of the school when it collapsed, causing the whole building to fall while students were in class.
The minister who owns the church-run school could face criminal charges, the police commissioner has said.
UN peacekeepers in the region are assisting with the rescue, while aid group Doctors Without Borders are treating the injured.
The US said it will send in a specialist team with rescue dogs and equipment to help in the search for survivors. Neighbouring Dominican Republic has also promised to send two helicopters.
Although there has been no official comments on the cause of the collapse, residents of the town have told news agencies the school had been poorly reconstructed after a partial collapse several years ago.