Mayo elevator collapse leaves 11 injured

LAHORE:A lift installed at Mayo Hospital’s Orthopaedic Ward fell on Thursday, injuring 11 people, including nurses and hospital staff.

This marks the third such incident at the hospital in recent years, raising serious concerns over lift maintenance and safety protocols. According to hospital sources, the injured included Head Nurses Shazia Munir, Rauf, Farhana Jabeen, Najma Parveen, and Abida Parveen, along with Charge Nurse Rubina Zaidi, Iram Shehzadi, and Samina Iqbal. Additionally, student Mariam Ramzan, Supervisor Noreen Ameen, and Attendant Sonia Mumtaz were also among the victims. All injured individuals were provided immediate medical assistance and are reported to be out of danger.

The lift had been installed last year by Friends of Mayo Hospital, a non-governmental organisation. Preliminary investigations suggest that a technical malfunction caused the lift to fall. Some hospital visitors and staff had reportedly noticed unusual noises coming from the lifts a day before the incident, but no corrective action was taken in time. Witnesses stated that the lift plunged suddenly while descending, causing panic among those inside and nearby. Hospital administration confirmed the incident, stating that 11 individuals sustained injuries but none were critically hurt. They assured that an inquiry has been launched to determine the exact cause of the malfunction.

Notably, this is the third lift-related accident at Mayo Hospital in the past few years, raising questions about safety measures and maintenance practices. Public concerns have intensified regarding the hospital’s infrastructure and the potential risks to both patients and staff. Authorities have yet to announce any accountability measures or future steps to prevent such occurrences.

Boy abducted for ransom rescued

Factory Area Police rescued an 11-year-old boy, Ali Akbar, who was abducted from Ravi Road, and arrested the kidnapper, Shahid, ASP Defence Shehar Bano Naqvi announced during a press conference at Factory Area Police Station.

According to the ASP, the police swiftly registered an abduction case after receiving a complaint from the child's father, Parvez Akhtar. The father had received a ransom call from an unidentified number, demanding Rs 700,000 for his son's release, along with death threats if police were involved.

A special police team used modern technology to track and arrest the suspect in Ravi Road area. In recognition of their efforts, SP Cantt announced commendation certificates for SHO Factory Area Ashfaq Khan and his team.