RIGA, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the roof collapse at a supermarket in the Latvian capital Riga on Thursday has risen to 51, said the police on Friday.
The death toll had reached 51 as of 2000 GMT on Friday and the number was expected to rise further as some 30 people, or maybe more, are still feared trapped under the rubble, said the police.
The victims include three rescue workers. Thirty-eight others were injured during the mishap.
The rescuers were still trying hard listening for voices of people trapped, but "unfortunately the only voices out there are of firefighters working," said state police spokesman Toms Sadovskis.
The supermarket, built in 2011, belongs to the Lithuanian-owned Maxima chain, the second largest retailer in the country.
Rescue work is proceeding slowly as both the rubble and remaining sections of roof are at risk of further collapse.
The reason for the collapse is currently unknown, but reports have said a garden with trees and plants was being built on the store's sizeable roof, which might have violated construction regulations and triggered the collapse.
Rescue officials are unsure about the number of survivors under the rubble but expect that the death toll will rise.
The government has announced three days of mourning from Saturday.
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