Death toll of Lyari building tragedy rises to six

Rescue operations continue, UC official claims 54 people missing

KARACHI: The death toll from the apartment building collapse in Lyari rose to six on Monday after the bodies of five more residents, including two women, were retrieved from the rubble. Rescue operations continued, with fears that several more people were trapped in the debris.

The five-storey building, reportedly comprising 40 apartments, had collapsed in Lyari's densely populated Khadda Market area on Sunday night. While many residents vacated the building after the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) issued a notice deeming the structure 'unsafe' and after a crack appeared in the building earlier in the day, several remained inside at the time of the incident.

According to Lyari SP Altaf Hussain, six bodies had been retrieved by rescue personnel by Monday night, while their bodies were shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi.

Edhi Foundation officials stated that five of the deceased had been identified as Salma, 52, Jameela, 40, Sheeraz, 24, Noor Muhammad alias Babu, 50, and Faheem, 35. The body of another woman could not immediately be identified.

Union Council-4 vice chairperson Mehmood Hashim claimed that according to information collected from relatives of building residents, around 194 individuals resided at the building, of whom 54 were said to be missing. He added that the rescue operations were proceeding cautiously because they were trying to pull out those trapped under the rubble alive, without harming them further.

"There are many buildings in Lyari that are crumbling and warning letters have also been put up on them, telling the residents to empty them," he stated. "But the issue the SBCA faces in vacating the building is this: where would the residents be accommodated after that?"



Rescue work continued all day on Monday and into the night, with the help of officials from Pakistan Army's engineering corps. Army officials also used sniffer dogs to try to locate those trapped under the debris, while the police and Rangers officials cordoned off the congested area.

Declared dangerous

The building had reportedly been declared dangerous by the SBCA's technical team after an inspection survey on March 16. The SBCA had also issued a notice to the residents on March 18, directing them to vacate the building within 15 days.

The authority has declared at least 250 structures in the city 'dangerous,' with most of them located in the South district.

According to sources, the SBCA had also issued letters to the relevant agencies to cut off the utility connections when it wasn't vacated, but in vain.

Meanwhile, Sindh Information, Housing and Town Planning Minister Nasir Hussain Shah said that there were over 300 buildings in the city that were old and extremely dilapidated, but their occupants had refused to leave despite being given notices. However, he added, talks were underway with these residents.

Visiting Khadda Market, Shah told media personnel that legislation was also being enacted to assure the residents of such buildings that they would be provided alternative accommodation in such circumstances. "The only purpose of these notices is to protect lives," he pointed out.

Promising a thorough investigation into the tragedy, he further maintained that action would be taken if any negligence on the part of SBCA officials was behind it, adding that these officials had already been warned they would be held responsible for any illegal construction in their jurisdictions.

According to the minister, the Sindh government has already approved separate courts for the SBCA, while the Supreme Court had been approached to appoint personnel for these courts.

Separately, Karachi mayor Wasim Akhtar stated that it was the Sindh government's responsibility to ensure the evacuation of precarious buildings in the city.

"The provincial government has a list of all such buildings in Karachi and it should take action and ensure they are vacated to save valuable lives," he said. "Until the relevant authorities take effective measures, such buildings will keep collapsing and people will keep dying."