Two die after building collapse in Rio neighborhood

Firefighters search for victims between the debris of a collapsed building in Rio das Pedras slum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 3, 2021. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - A residential building in a working class part of Rio de Janeiro collapsed on Thursday, killing at least two people and underlining the precarious state of many structures in parts of the city where authorities say organized crime is heavily involved in construction.

Local residents told Reuters they heard a booming noise that was followed by a fire, causing panic in the western neighborhood of Rio das Pedras.