Jerusalem wedding hall collapse kills 15

Police said the collapse was most likely caused by a structural failure

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- At least 15 people were killed and more than 200 injured when a four-story wedding hall collapsed in southeast Jerusalem Thursday night.

Ehud Olmert, mayor of Jerusalem, said "many more" people are trapped in the rubble.

Israeli Radio broadcast appeals to hospital workers in Jerusalem to come to work immediately to cope with the emergency and for all ambulances in the country to report to the scene.

Convoys of ambulances were driving into Jerusalem.

Olmert said the roof of the building collapsed onto the fourth floor, where a wedding party was being held. That floor collapsed onto the lower floors, which were empty or nearly empty, Olmert said.

Police said the collapse appeared to be caused by a structural failure and was not the result of a terrorist act. Witnesses did not report hearing an explosion.

VIDEO A wedding hall collapses in Jerusalem, trapping scores of people inside (May 24) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

A police commander told CNN between 700 and 1,400 people were inside at the time attending a wedding reception. The wedding hall, which is also known to host discos, is in the Talpiot industrial area in southeast Jerusalem.

Israeli television reported that 15 people were killed.

The scene was chaotic as emergency workers tried to make their way through the crowds. Rescuers searched the rubble with flashlights.

Police brought in welders to cut through steel supports and bring out victims and survivors.