Police says church building collapse in east Nepal kills 24, injures 62

Police: Church collapse in Nepal kills 24

KATMANDU, Nepal — A church dormitory collapsed on attendees of a Christian conference in eastern Nepal as they slept early Wednesday, killing at least 24 people and injuring an additional 62, police said.

The people had gathered in the eastern town of Dharan on Monday for the weeklong conference and were sleeping in a church extension made of bamboo and tin roofing when the collapse took place, police official Arjun Khadka said.

The area is about 240 miles (400 kilometers) southeast of the capital, Katmandu.

Among those killed were 17 women and four children.

Police were investigating the incident and the injured were taken to the nearby B.P. Koirala medical college hospital, he said.

Christians, who are a minority in predominantly Hindu Nepal, had gathered in Dharan from throughout the country.