Death toll from collapsed building reaches six
Sukkur deputy mayor says substandard material used in construction led to incident
PHOTO: EXPRESS
HYDERABAD:
The death toll from the building collapse in Sukkur district reached six on Friday as three more bodies were pulled out from the rubble. A total of 26 persons were present in the building when it caved in on Thursday.
As many as 17 injured persons including men, women and children were rescued during the two days but three persons still remained under the debris by Friday evening. Injured Ehtesham Mughal told that his uncle and two aunts have not been rescued so far.
Three-year-old Naveen, daughter of Asif Mehmood Mughal, was pulled out alive around 21 hours after the building's collapse. Among the 17 injured persons, two sustained critical head injuries and are reportedly in critical condition in a hospital in Larkana district.
The deceased whose bodies were found on Friday have been identified as Firdous, 40, wife of Khalid Mehmood Mughal, Asif Mehmood Mughal, 35, and Irtaza, 18, son of Talat Mehmood Mughal. All six deceased were shifted to Sukkur Civil Hospital before they were handed over to the family for the burial.
The funeral prayer was later held on Friday night at the municipal stadium Sukkur. Provincial minister Nasir Hussain Shah, Sukkur Commissioner Shafiq Ahmed Mahesar, Mayor Arsalan Islam Shaikh and other local dignitaries besides a large number of people attended.
At least three killed as building collapses in Sukkur
Muhammad Ali Mughal, a family member who was outside his home when the incident happened, told this correspondent that around 26 to 27 family members were present in their three-storey building when it collapsed. "My wife is still under the debris," said Mughal as tears rolled down his cheeks. "Only five or six family members were out of home at that time. All other family members were inside."
According to Mughal, the deceased women, Khalida and Shaheen, had recently married his cousins and the latter had an eight-month-old son who also died. He praised the efforts of the Pakistan army and other rescuers.
The building is located in a densely populated commercial area near Clock Tower. A team of the provincial disaster management authority (PDMA), led by Deputy Director Juman Thebo, reportedly joined the rescue operation around 15 hours after the incident, on Friday morning. Deputy Commissioner Rana Adeel claimed that due to their prompt and careful rescue efforts 17 persons have been pulled out alive.
Deputy Mayor Tariq Hussain Chohan claimed that substandard material was apparently used in the building's construction, which became cause of the incident. He tacitly criticised the Sindh Building Control Authority and said if they are unable to vacate dangerous building the municipal corporation is ready to help them out in the drive.
The Sindh High Court's order from 11 months ago declared 101 buildings in Sukkur as dangerous but the SBCA has so far failed to take action. Advocate Molana Shahzad Deho, in whose petition the SHC gave the order, blamed the authority for deliberately avoiding action on the court's February 2019, order.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2020.
The death toll from the building collapse in Sukkur district reached six on Friday as three more bodies were pulled out from the rubble. A total of 26 persons were present in the building when it caved in on Thursday.
As many as 17 injured persons including men, women and children were rescued during the two days but three persons still remained under the debris by Friday evening. Injured Ehtesham Mughal told that his uncle and two aunts have not been rescued so far.
Three-year-old Naveen, daughter of Asif Mehmood Mughal, was pulled out alive around 21 hours after the building's collapse. Among the 17 injured persons, two sustained critical head injuries and are reportedly in critical condition in a hospital in Larkana district.
The deceased whose bodies were found on Friday have been identified as Firdous, 40, wife of Khalid Mehmood Mughal, Asif Mehmood Mughal, 35, and Irtaza, 18, son of Talat Mehmood Mughal. All six deceased were shifted to Sukkur Civil Hospital before they were handed over to the family for the burial.
The funeral prayer was later held on Friday night at the municipal stadium Sukkur. Provincial minister Nasir Hussain Shah, Sukkur Commissioner Shafiq Ahmed Mahesar, Mayor Arsalan Islam Shaikh and other local dignitaries besides a large number of people attended.
At least three killed as building collapses in Sukkur
Muhammad Ali Mughal, a family member who was outside his home when the incident happened, told this correspondent that around 26 to 27 family members were present in their three-storey building when it collapsed. "My wife is still under the debris," said Mughal as tears rolled down his cheeks. "Only five or six family members were out of home at that time. All other family members were inside."
According to Mughal, the deceased women, Khalida and Shaheen, had recently married his cousins and the latter had an eight-month-old son who also died. He praised the efforts of the Pakistan army and other rescuers.
The building is located in a densely populated commercial area near Clock Tower. A team of the provincial disaster management authority (PDMA), led by Deputy Director Juman Thebo, reportedly joined the rescue operation around 15 hours after the incident, on Friday morning. Deputy Commissioner Rana Adeel claimed that due to their prompt and careful rescue efforts 17 persons have been pulled out alive.
Deputy Mayor Tariq Hussain Chohan claimed that substandard material was apparently used in the building's construction, which became cause of the incident. He tacitly criticised the Sindh Building Control Authority and said if they are unable to vacate dangerous building the municipal corporation is ready to help them out in the drive.
The Sindh High Court's order from 11 months ago declared 101 buildings in Sukkur as dangerous but the SBCA has so far failed to take action. Advocate Molana Shahzad Deho, in whose petition the SHC gave the order, blamed the authority for deliberately avoiding action on the court's February 2019, order.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2020.