TEHRAN — 2017 · Major Tragedy

Collapse of the Plasco Building

ClosedSources: ALast updated: 14 October 2026

On the morning of 19 January 2017 a fire broke out on the upper floors of the Plasco building, a 17-storey Tehran landmark packed with garment workshops. After hours of firefighting, the structure collapsed entirely in front of television cameras while firefighters were still inside. Official figures put the death toll at at least 20, most of them firefighters, with more than 200 injured. A government report found the fire was caused by substandard wiring, that the owner had ignored warnings, and that ministries had failed to enforce fire-safety regulations. The disaster triggered a national debate on the safety of Iran's ageing high-rises.

Date: 2017
Place: Tehran, Iran, Tehran, IR
Category: Major Tragedy
Case Status: Closed
Coordinates: 35.6892, 51.4196 ↗

Timeline of Events

19 January 2017Fire broke out on the upper floors of the Plasco building in the morning.
19 January 2017The building collapsed completely with firefighters inside.

January 2017Days of searching recovered the bodies of the firefighters.
April 2017A government report blamed faulty wiring and ignored warnings.

Sources

Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.