Four killed as building collapses in Korangi

KARACHI: It was a catastrophic day in Allahwala Town of the District Korangi on Thursday, when a four-storeyed residential building collapsed killing at least four people, including a mother and her child, and injuring dozens. Some people of three families are reported to be trapped in the rubble for whom a search was underway

The building was illegally constructed over a 240 square yards portion of an amenity plot of 22,596 square yards, in the Allahwala Town, in which as many as seven families lived. The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), withdrew from its responsibility after claiming that it was one of the several illegally-constructed buildings over the amenity plot, ST-12, for a playground and it never issued any approval for its construction.

It, however, has yet tocome up with an explanation as to who allowed the construction and why it never took any action against the illegal construction. DG SBCA Ashkar Dawar didn’t respond to the repeated phone calls by The News.

According to the district administration, the multi-storeyed building had started sinking into the ground, after which it was emptied on the orders of the Deputy Commissioner of the District Korangi, Sheharyar Gul Memon, two days ago. However, when the building collapsed on Thursday, one family was still residing in it.

Police confirmed that four people were killed including a mother and her child and six others were wounded in the building that collapsed. “So far we have recovered bodies of four people including Ayesha (35) wife of Zulfiqar, and her two children Arslaan(9) and Aun Bibi (9), while six were injured by the falling debris of the building,” Korangi Industrial Area SHO Nawaz Gondal told The News.

Personnel from the army’s Engineering Corps brought a large crane to remove the rubble. The rescue team, including Edhi and Chippa ambulances, also reached the site, while the police moved spectators away.

This is the fourth major incident of building collapse in the port-city, bringing into question the performance of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and the district administrations, which have repeatedly failed to demolish hazardous and illegal buildings constructed across the city.

Earlier, in February a ground-plus-five storeyed residential building constructed on 80-square-yard plot in Lyari’s Usmanabad developed cracks before tilting dangerously. In March, a ground plus five-storeyed building, where another floor was being constructed, collapsed and triggered the collapse of two other neighboring buildings, resulting in the deaths of more than 20 people and leaving more than 14 injured. In June a five-storeyed residential building located in Lyari’s Kalri area collapsed, killing more than 22 people. Apart from these several minor building collapses have also been reported.

According to the residents of the Allahwala Town, the building had collapsed because its foundation had weakened after rainwater accumulated in the basement for a long period of time. “The water wasn’t drained, despite multiple requests to the district administration,” said one of the residents.

Another resident, Muhammad Zaman said that the building was constructed some four years ago, while the other two residential buildings adjacent to the collapsed one were constructed two years back. “There wasn’t power and water connection in the collapsed building, neither in the two buildings adjacent to it,” he said adding that the occupants of the building had an illegal power connection.

One of the residents of the collapsed building, Muhammad Hayyat mentioned how he and his family had vacated the residential building two days back. “There were seven families residing in the building, most of them were tenants,” he said and added that huge cracks developed in the walls of the building, after which they had to leave. He said three families were still living in the building when it collapsed.

The newly-appointed administrator of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Iftikhar Ali Shallwani, ordered an enquiry to ascertain the reason behind the building collapse in Korangi. According to a press statement from the KMC, the administrator said that three to five storeyed buildings have been established in many residential areas of Karachi where only ground plus one is permissible. Action will be taken against responsible for allowing such constructions as such buildings are dangerous for humans lives. He reviewed rescue works in Allah Wala Town. Deputy Commissioner Korangi Sheharyar Gul Memon, Senior Director Coordination Masood Alam and officers of fire brigade and rescue services were also present on the occasion.