A four-storey building that collapsed in Cameroon killing 34 people had been built without a permit, says the housing and urban development minister.
Célestine Ketcha Courtès visited the scene in Douala on Monday, telling reporters an investigation has been launched and rescue efforts will continue so that nobody is left trapped under the wreckage.
Building collapses are not uncommon in Cameroon, but this is the worst in some time.
"We'd been happy not to have had any such disasters for a while now - especially in Douala where the mayor is really trying to bring order," said Kizito Ngoa, the head of Cameroon's Order of Civil Engineers which regulates housing in the country.
He told the BBC that builders often fail to secure permits and try to cut corners to save money, adding "there is a widespread feeling that everyone can just do what they want".
Source: BBC