Under-renovation building crumbles at Services Hospital

A three-storey building undergoing renovation at Lahore Services Hospital collapsed on Thursday, causing panic within the hospital premises. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported.

The building in question was undergoing renovations due to its age and during the process a sudden fire broke out, filling the structure with smoke. In a matter of minutes, a section of the three-storey building collapsed.

Immediate response teams from Rescue 1122 swiftly reached the site and initiated a rescue operation. Employing life locators, they meticulously searched for any signs of life under the debris. Thankfully, the building was declared clear after no individuals were found trapped.

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Services Hospital MS Dr Munir Malik stated that the collapse occurred around 10:45 pm and only workers were present at the time. All labourers were accounted for and no one was reported missing.

Caretaker Health Minister Dr Javed Akram, commenting on the incident, suggested that the preliminary inquiry points to an electric short-circuit as the cause.

He emphasised that fire outbreaks due to short-circuiting can happen in any building. A high-powered committee has been formed to conduct a detailed investigation and ascertain the facts surrounding the collapse.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2023.