At least 6 dead in Philadelphia building collapse, 13 injured

PHILADELPHIA -- A vacant building being demolished collapsed onto a thrift store in Philadelphia early Wednesday, killing six people and trapping more than a dozen under rubble, officials said.

(Photo credit: Luke Rafferty/Philadelphia Inquirer via CNN)

Philadelphia Mayor Micheal Nutter said late Wednesday night the deceased were five women and a man, but did not release additional information.

One woman was buried under the debris for two hours but escaped with relatively minor injuries, said Nutter.

Search and rescue crews continued to search for victims into the night.

"We do not know how many people were actually in the store at that time and so active search and rescue continues," the mayor said.

"We're taking away the debris. We still have an area to be examined, and we are hopeful that we have actually gotten out everyone who was in the building, but at this moment, we do not know for sure."

Dogs have aided in the effort, which is expected to last at least into Thursday, Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers told reporters.

He described the operation as tedious.

Of the 13 people injured and taken to area hospitals, five had been released as of Wednesday afternoon.

The building collapsed onto the Salvation Army Thrift Store next door with an ominous rumble, witnesses said.

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