Supermarket roof collapses in Latvia killing 17

At least 17 people have died, including three firefighters, after large sections of roof collapsed at a Latvian supermarket during the evening rush-hour shopping.

The reason for yesterday’s collapse was still not known but appeared to have been caused by workers building a winter garden on the supermarket’s roof.

Thirty-six people were injured and about the same number rescued in the debris at the Maxima store, in the capital Riga.

Rescue workers, including soldiers and dogs, continued to search for survivors at the store, in a densely-populated neighbourhood.

Firefighters were killed and injured when a section of roof fell just after they arrived on the scene.

The rescue service said about 5,300 square feet of roof collapsed, destroying large sections of the store’s high walls and nearly all its front windows.