Building falls in Beirut; at least 17 dead

BEIRUT, Lebanon, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Search crews recovered 17 bodies from the rubble of a five-story building that collapsed in Beirut, Lebanon, a Red Cross official said.

The official said a dozen people were extracted alive from the rubble but voiced doubt about whether more survivors would be found, The Daily Star reported.

The building fell Sunday.

The building's owner was arrested and questioned, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said.

Charbel said the building in Beirut's Fassouh neighborhood had about 50 tenants.

The Interior minister said he, too, thought it would be unlikely "survivors will be found," given the amount of destruction.