Death toll rises to 8 in Lyari building collapse

KARACHI: The death toll from the building collapse in Karachi’s Lyari area has risen to eight.

According to Rescue 1122, seven people lost their lives after being trapped under the rubble, while another victim, a woman named Fatmi, succumbed to her injuries during treatment at Civil Hospital Karachi.

Rescue officials confirmed that seven injured individuals are still receiving treatment at Civil Hospital Karachi, as efforts continue to clear the debris and search for any remaining survivors.

Emergency teams are working tirelessly to search for survivors and provide medical assistance to the injured. The cause of the collapse is yet to be determined.

Rescue officials reported that emergency operations began immediately after the incident.  Authorities fear that more people may still be trapped under the rubble.

Rescue said that several families were living in the building and efforts are being made to evacuate more people under the rubble, due to the tight of the streets, it is difficult to deliver heavy machinery while the 2 -storey building with a falling building has also been evacuated.

Rescue officials said heavy machinery is also delayed due to the closure of the routes, while locals are also busy in relief operations under their help.

Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah has taken notice of the building collapse in Lyari and directed officials to submit an immediate report on the incident.

He has also asked the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) to provide a detailed list of all dilapidated buildings across the city.

Emphasizing that the identification of hazardous structures must be prioritized, the Chief Minister stated that negligence will not be tolerated and the protection of human lives is of utmost importance.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief and sorrow over the tragic incident of building collapse in Karachi.

In separate statements, the president and the prime minister offered heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the family members of those who lost their lives.

Praying for early recovery of those injured in the incident, President Zardari directed the Sindh government to expedite the relief efforts and immediately rescue the affected individuals trapped under the debris.

The president also directed to immediately determine the causes of the incident and the implementation of effective measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif prayed for the swift recovery of the injured and directed to provide them all possible medical facilities.

The prime minister instructed that the rescue operation be accelerated to save those trapped under the debris.

Such incidents must be prevented in the future by formulating a strategy on a priority basis, the prime minister added.