The collapse of the under-construction metro station in Sao Paulo cost the lives of two people

Sao Paulo (Brazil) - Two dead and four missing. This is the latest toll from the disaster that struck Brazilian Sao Paulo on Friday, where a reinforced concrete structure of an under-construction metro station collapsed. A minibus fell into the crater, completely disappearing under the collapsed ground and pieces of concrete. Rescue workers found the bodies of two women on Monday, while at least four more people are still being searched for, but hopes are dim, reported AP today.
    The disaster occurred when a part of the massive circular structure, approximately 40 meters in diameter, suddenly gave way, creating a giant crater about twice its size, in which at least two pedestrians and four passengers in the minivan found themselves, according to witnesses.
    In the rubble of the disturbed ground, a 55-ton construction crane and four overturned trucks remained. Several construction workers were injured during the incident. More than a hundred people living near the collapse site were evacuated.
    Rescue teams are using specially trained dogs to search for buried individuals. However, operations had to be suspended on Sunday night due to an increased risk that the unsecured ground could shift again. Rescuers believe that survivors can still be found beneath the rubble even three to four days after the collapse.
    The cause of the disaster is under investigation. However, the consortium of Brazilian construction companies building the metro station has denied any wrongdoing in the safety area, asserting that the ground was likely saturated due to heavy tropical rains.
    The collapsed station is one of eleven being constructed as part of a new thirteen-kilometer section of the "yellow line" of Sao Paulo's metro. The project, worth 1.4 billion dollars, is scheduled to be completed in 2012.