Five-storey building collapses in Karachi

At least one dead and several others injured

KARACHI:

At least one person died and several others were injured as a five-storey building, comprising 40 apartments, collapsed in one of Lyari’s densely populated neighbourhoods on Sunday.

On being informed of the tragic incident, law enforcement personnel, fire fighters and rescue teams reached the spot and began relief operations. Area locals also reached the spot and participated in rescue work. However, Rangers and police later cordoned off the area and dispersed the crowd.



According to rescue workers, panic and chaos gripped the area after the building collapsed and they faced difficulty in carrying out relief work due to narrow and congested streets being crowded by people, as well as electricity suspension. They said that the machinery required to clear the debris, too, couldn’t easily be brought to the site of the incident due to the locality’s narrow streets. However, they some how managed to brought it to the site and began rescue work.

A woman’s body had been recovered from the rubble till the filing of this report. The body was shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil hospital. Besides, four injured in the incident, identified as Shama, 40, Shahzad, 35, Shahbaz, 9, and Fayyaz, 30, who is a policeman, were shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital.

Rescue teams faced difficulties in relief operations due to narrow and congested streets. PHOTO: EXPRESS

Reliving the dreadful moment, area locals said that dust blanketed the area as soon as the building collapsed and cries of the victims resounded in the air.



Rescue teams and law enforcement agencies carried out relief and rescue operations at the site of the incident. PHOTO: EXPRESS

According to SP Lyari Altaf Hussain, the building was vacated after the SBCA issued a notice regarding the structure being unsafe. “Moreover, a crack had appeared in the building, said to be around 35 to 40 years old, in the morning,” he said, talking to The Express Tribune.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah issued directives for launching an investigation into the incident, instructing that all possible efforts should be made to rescue those stuck in the rubble. He also sought a report on the matter after the completion of rescue operation.

Area locals say dust blanketed the area as soon as the building collapsed and cries of the victims resounded in the air. PHOTO: EXPRESS

Sindh governor Imran Ismail, taking notice of the incident, too, has sought a report of the incident from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and said that immediate measures were to be taken to rescue people stuck in the rubble.

“People are losing lives due to SBCA’s inefficiency,” he said, holding all SBCA officials responsible for the incident. Pointing out that it was SBCA’s responsibility to identify unsafe structure and get them vacated, the governor alleged SBCA officials of “allowing illegal construction in the city.”

Several people are feared to be struck under the debris of the building. PHOTO: EXPRESS

Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah called for the provision of assistance to rescue workers from district administration officials, as well as all medical facilities to the injured. He said that there was no electricity in the area, posing difficulties in rescue operations, however, search lights had been provided to rescue personnel for their aid.

Machinery required to clear the debris, too, couldn’t easily be brought to the site of the incident due to the locality’s narrow streets. PHOTO: EXPRESS

Karachi mayor Wasim Akhtar, expressing concern over the unfortunate incident, said that rescue teams and fire department personnel should make all-out efforts to save as many lives as possible. He also called for making immediate arrangements to ensure proper lighting at the site of the incident, so as to help with the rescue operation.

He extended condolences to the bereaved family.