Karachi building collapse: 30 more feared trapped under debris

KARACHI: A woman died and several people were left wounded after another multi-storey residential building in Karachi collapsed on Sunday night. Many people are feared to have dead as a number of people are feared stuck under the debris while rescue work was in progress till late night. This was the third major multi-storey residential building to have collapsed in the last six months in Karachi.

The tragic incident took place at a five-storey residential building located in Lyari’s Kalri area on Sunday night. The building collapsed with a loud explosion, causing fear and panic among the residents. The area plunged into darkness as electricity went out soon after the incident. Following the incident, army, Rangers troops, police and rescuers from different welfare associations rushed to the site of the incident and mounted the search and rescue operation. So far, the rescuers were able to pull out the body of a woman and five injured which were shifted to hospital.”So far we have been recovered the body of a woman and five injured,” Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Sharjeel Kharal told The News. “Many feared as around 30 people are reportedly stuck under the debris.” DIG Kharal said that another multi-storey residential building located next to it was also evacuated as it was also declared dangerous and badly damaged.

The residents were given notices when the building became dilapidated. While many families had already vacated their flats, several more left when another crack appeared in the building Sunday morning. Bricks and pieces of the building had begun falling since evening, the residents said, adding that the structure tilted before suddenly collapsing. “It was too early to say how many more people were still trapped in the rubble,” says SSP District City Muqaddas Haider.

A crowd of the people also gathered at the spot to search for their loved ones. There was one ill-fated victim who claimed that 18 members of his family were trapped under the debris. There were more than 20 apartments in the entire building. “Eight of my family members and ten of my maternal uncle’s family members – both families lived in the fourth floor of the five storey building remained on missing and feared to have died as phone numbers of all were not responding,” feared Rashid, one of the residents of the unfortunate building with tears in his eyes.

Residents claimed that they have had already left the building after it started to tremble earlier in the day but many became victims when they were busy in picking up furniture and other stuff from the building. “My brothers and in-laws were in the building to pick up furniture and other essentials when the building suddenly collapsed,” says another resident Anwar.

The occupants of the building blamed the owner of the building for losses of the innocent lives. “Asma Khatri is responsible for all,” blamed Aslam, another resident of the building. “Notices were already issued about three months ago to evacuate the building from the relevant authorities but the owner was not giving back the advance money to the occupants giving lame excuses that ‘the building will not collapse.”

Saad Edhi, the grandson of the Abdul Sattar Edhi told the media that there was fewer number of people present in the building at the time of collapse and most had already evacuated the dilapidated structure.

The rescuers also faced difficulties as the area plunged into darkness as electricity went out soon after the incident. Police and Rangers reached the spot to clear the area for rescue teams as crowd of hundreds of people gathered at the buildings collapse site, causing difficulties for the rescuers.

Though the rescuers had been reached and started the search and rescue operation with the help of the residents of the area, heavy machineries were also calledto remove the debris but due to the narrow and congested lanes, the heavy machines were unable to reached the spot.

Residents said that one six-storey building was declared dangerous by Sindh Building Control Authority, who asked the residents to evacuate it, added that the building located in Khadda Market first tilted, creating panic among residents, before it collapsed.

Many of the residents did not evacuate the building when the notices were issued to them earlier. “We did not have any alternate residence,” said the resident. “Those who have had alternatives evacuated and the remaining others were waiting for any alternative but the building collapsed.”

Pakistan army rescue team has been reached to the incident site. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan Army's rescue team was sent to the incident site and security forces at the site were rescuing and evacuating people in the operation.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah sought report from Commisoner Karachi and Director General Sindh Building Control Authority. They also directed immediate rescue operations.

Oonib Azam adre:

The Sindh’s Minister for Local Government, Nasir Hussain Shah has sought report of the building collapse in Lyari’s Liaquat Colony from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA). He has tasked the commissioner Karachi, Iftikhar Shallwani to visit the site and also make an initial inquiry report.

He directed the relevant authorities to effectively carry out the rescue work. Meanwhile, mayor Karachi, Wasim Akhtar said that Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s (KMC) fire department immediately reached the site. He directed the rescue department of the KMC to make alternate measures of lights to help in the rescue work. On the direction of the mayor, the KMC’s press statement said that the heavy machinery had started removing the rubble while the workers of the fire brigade department are also helping in the rescue work.