30 firefighters killed in collapse of high-rise in Iran

At least 30 firefighters were killed Thursday when an iconic, high-rise building in the Iranian capital of Tehran caught fire and collapsed, local media reported.

The blaze broke out in the 17-story Plasco trade center just north of Tehran's sprawling bazaar. The cause wasn't immediately known.

Press TV reported scores of firefighters battled the blaze for several hours and police kept out traders who tried to return to collect their belongings. Press TV reported an official said between 50 and 100 people were believed to be trapped under the rubble.

Pir-Hossein Kolivand, the head of Iran's emergency medical services, said the exact number of firefighters sent to the scene wasn't available, the official IRNA news agency reported.

More than 200 injured people were sent to hospitals, IRNA said. The building is the oldest high-rise in the country, according to Press TV. IRNA said it was a center for making clothing.

The building was built in the early 1960s by local businessman Habib Elghanian and is named after his plastics company. It was Tehran's tallest building at the time of its construction and housed shops and clothing workshops, Press TV reported.