Second building collapse in Karachi in less than 72 hours kills 2, injures several

At least two people have died and several others injured after a two-storey building collapsed in Bihar Colony in Karachi’s Lyari area on Sunday, according to police.

Several residents are trapped under the debris of the fallen building — the second such incident in a week — and a rescue operation is ongoing, police said.

The injured residents as well as the deceased were taken to the Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi.

Speaking on the collapse of the building, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail called for fixing responsibility for the casualties and damages.

“Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has been a nightmare for Karachi. We need to redesign our strategy for SBCA, this is not working at all,” he tweeted.

President of PTI Karachi chapter and member Sindh Assembly Khurram Sher Zaman termed the incident “saddening” and called for speeding up of the rescue operation.

Officers of the SBCA who have shown carelessness should be arrested, he said, adding that the authority had become an ATM for the Sindh government.

“The Sindh government should be ashamed of the frequent incidents resulting in the loss of lives,” he said.

Zaman also directed volunteers of the Tiger Force to help with rescue work.

4th such incident of the year

This is the second building to collapse in the metropolis within a week and the fourth since the start of the year. On Thursday, four people were killed and at least 10 others injured after a multi-storeyed residential building collapsed in Karachi’s Korangi area.

Karachi Commissioner Sohail Rajput who visited the site on Thursday said he had ordered an inquiry into the incident and directed the administration to submit preliminary report urgently. Separately, Karachi Administrator Iftikhar Ali Shallwani had aid that inquiry would be held to ascertain the reason behind building collapse.

He said that three- to five-storey buildings had been built in many residential areas of Karachi where only ground-plus one structures were permissible.

“Action will be taken against [those] responsible for allowing such constructions as such buildings are dangerous for human lives.”

In June, a five-storey building collapsed in Karachi resulting in the deaths of at least 22 people.

In March, a building collapsed in the Gulbahar area, killing 27 people and injuring at least 17 others.