Death toll from buildings’ collapse rises to 11
Ten of the deceased were from three families living in the adjoining buildings.
HYDERABAD:
The death toll from Tuesday's buildings' collapse rose to 11 in the wake of the tragedy that struck Ilyasabad's Choori Parah (Bangle Lane), the hub of Pakistan's bangle-making industry.
Apart from one labourer, all the deceased belonged to three families living in the two adjoining buildings. Six of the deceased lived in Chaudhry Yameen Siddiqi's three-storey building, which collapsed on the neighbouring building and killed three people there. Forty-year-old labourer Aamir Manzoor Baloch, who worked at the bangle furnace in Yameen's building, and seven-year-old Maryam, daughter of neighbour Akbar Hussain, were also in the same building.
"Our entire family has perished," grieved Husna, sister of Arif Siddiqi, 45, and Rashid Siddiqi, 30, both of whom died in the incident. Rashid's wife Asma, 28, and six-year-old son Abdul Basit also lost their lives. Family members Hoor Bano, 35, and her 18-year-old daughter lived in the building as well.
Husna was visiting a neighbour when the tragedy occurred. She said that as the building began to shake, the labourers and family members on the two lower floors managed to escape.
Next door, 61-year-old Akhtar Hussain, 10-year-old Konain, daughter of Mairaj Siddiqi, and 16-month-old Komal, daughter of Shahid Siddiqi died. The victims were laid to rest after their namaz-e-janaza was held near Memon Hospital. Leaders from various political parties attended the funeral.
Cause of collapse
Initial investigations by experts and accounts of people familiar with the buildings established that the two furnaces on the ground floor of Yameen's building were the primary cause of the collapse.
"The upper floors, built around 40 years ago, were supported by thick walls instead of pillars," Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) regional director Tanzeem Asim told The Express Tribune. "The furnaces sapped the walls that were the foundation of the building."
Since the locality was in the Katchi Abadi Authority's (KAA) domain, the SBCA was not responsible for monitoring structures in the area, said Asim, adding that the SCBA's list of weak structures, updated in July, included 98 buildings in Hyderabad district. While the KAA director could not be contacted, an official seeking anonymity told The Express Tribune that they lacked an authentic survey of such structures.
Hyderabad commissioner Jamal Mustafa Syed has formed a five-member committee to investigate the incident, comprising deputy commissioner Nawaz Soho and officials from Hyderabad Development Authority, SBCA and Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. The committee will look into the cause of collapse and check if the relevant government departments failed in their responsibility. The report will be submitted by September 15.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2014.
The death toll from Tuesday's buildings' collapse rose to 11 in the wake of the tragedy that struck Ilyasabad's Choori Parah (Bangle Lane), the hub of Pakistan's bangle-making industry.
Apart from one labourer, all the deceased belonged to three families living in the two adjoining buildings. Six of the deceased lived in Chaudhry Yameen Siddiqi's three-storey building, which collapsed on the neighbouring building and killed three people there. Forty-year-old labourer Aamir Manzoor Baloch, who worked at the bangle furnace in Yameen's building, and seven-year-old Maryam, daughter of neighbour Akbar Hussain, were also in the same building.
"Our entire family has perished," grieved Husna, sister of Arif Siddiqi, 45, and Rashid Siddiqi, 30, both of whom died in the incident. Rashid's wife Asma, 28, and six-year-old son Abdul Basit also lost their lives. Family members Hoor Bano, 35, and her 18-year-old daughter lived in the building as well.
Husna was visiting a neighbour when the tragedy occurred. She said that as the building began to shake, the labourers and family members on the two lower floors managed to escape.
Next door, 61-year-old Akhtar Hussain, 10-year-old Konain, daughter of Mairaj Siddiqi, and 16-month-old Komal, daughter of Shahid Siddiqi died. The victims were laid to rest after their namaz-e-janaza was held near Memon Hospital. Leaders from various political parties attended the funeral.
Cause of collapse
Initial investigations by experts and accounts of people familiar with the buildings established that the two furnaces on the ground floor of Yameen's building were the primary cause of the collapse.
"The upper floors, built around 40 years ago, were supported by thick walls instead of pillars," Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) regional director Tanzeem Asim told The Express Tribune. "The furnaces sapped the walls that were the foundation of the building."
Since the locality was in the Katchi Abadi Authority's (KAA) domain, the SBCA was not responsible for monitoring structures in the area, said Asim, adding that the SCBA's list of weak structures, updated in July, included 98 buildings in Hyderabad district. While the KAA director could not be contacted, an official seeking anonymity told The Express Tribune that they lacked an authentic survey of such structures.
Hyderabad commissioner Jamal Mustafa Syed has formed a five-member committee to investigate the incident, comprising deputy commissioner Nawaz Soho and officials from Hyderabad Development Authority, SBCA and Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. The committee will look into the cause of collapse and check if the relevant government departments failed in their responsibility. The report will be submitted by September 15.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2014.