The 13-story 'leaning tower of Alexandria' in Egypt has crashed into the street

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June 26, 2017 7:31 PM

The high-rise's construction failure is considered a symbol of corruption in Egypt's construction industry.

For 21 days this summer, the Egyptian town of Alexandria had its own leaning tower.

Appropriately dubbed the "leaning tower of Alexandria," the high-rise fell and crashed against a row of apartments on the opposite side of a narrow street on June 1. The tenants evacuated immediately, and the building's electricity and gas were cut. There were no reports of injuries.

After leaning for three weeks, the building was demolished by , according to The Guardian. The structure became unstable when an older, neighboring building — which was several stories higher than its permit allowed — collapsed. Without the other building's support, the residential tower started to lean until it fell into the housing block across the street.

The tower has become a symbol of the growing corruption and legal loopholes in the construction industry in Egypt, where over 390 residential buildings collapse each year. The Built Environment Observatory

In 2013, 24 people died and 11 others were injured when another residential building buckled in eastern Alexandria. And in October 2016, a condo building in the area was evacuated after reports of structural damage, including cracks and crumbling of some bricks. At the time, city officials said 180 condos in Alexandria have structural damage, 32 of which suffer from severe issues.

According to The Guardian, construction laws have become more lax in Alexandria in recent years. The demand for housing in Egypt has also skyrocketed, which could make renters more likely to compromise their safety for the sake of housing.

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