At least 17 killed in Egypt By Building Collapse.

An eight-floor residential building collapsed overnight in Cairo, killing at least 18 people and injuring seven others, security sources said on Tuesday, adding that the casualty figure was expected to rise.

Emergency services chief Gen Mamdouh Abdul Qader said rescue workers were searching through the rubble for 15 people who were believed to be trapped.

Building collapses happen regularly in Egypt due to illegal construction, and poor enforcement of regulations.

Gen Abdul Qader told the AFP news agency: "We don't yet know the cause of the accident, but we have been told that two storeys were recently added totally illegally."

Neighbors said workers were looking for mattresses, knowing most residents were asleep at 1 a.m. when the collapse took place.

With a housing shortage and lax government oversight, developers seeking bigger profits frequently build without authorization or permits.