July 07, 2008	Monday	Rajab 3, 1429

KARACHI, July 6: Nine people, including women and children, were killed and 15 others injured on Sunday morning when a three-storey building collapsed in Baldia Town, police and witnesses said.

They said at least five families, comprising over 35 members, were living in the two-year-old building in Swat Colony.

SP Athar Rasheed Butt told Dawn that the building caved in at around 2am, when most of the occupants were asleep. “The victim families belonged to parts of the NWFP,” he added.

Witnesses said the whole building turned into a big heap of rubble in the twinkling of an eye. They said the building was owned by Haji Kaki Gul, who had rented out its portions to five Afghan families.

They said the victims included a two-year-old girl and a 70-year-old woman.

“The building collapsed with a bang and I ran towards it as I heard people crying for help,” a resident of a nearby house said.

Fire-brigade engines, city government rescue workers and volunteers of the Edhi and Chhipa ambulances rushed to the spot and pulled out the bodies and the injured trapped under the debris.

Chief Fire Officer Ehtesham Siddiqui told Dawn that the use of defective material caused the collapse. “It was even otherwise too big a structure on a 100-square-meter plot,” he added.

He said the rescue workers retrieved nine bodies from the debris. “Two bodies were recovered from the debris a little after noon,” he added.

The chief fireman said heavy equipment such as a shovel, dumper, loader and driller were being used to remove the debris. “Earth-moving vehicles are being used to remove the debris and rescue workers dug through the rubble to take out the victims,” he added.

Area people said the building had begun tilting a few months ago and the owner was often asked by the occupants and the neighbours to take notice of the flaw that could lead to a tragedy. They said the son and wife of the owner were also among the dead.Seven bodies were taken to the Civil Hospital, where they were identified as Maha Gul, wife of Haji Kaki Gul (house owner), their son Ghaffar Ahmed, Mohammed Ibrahim, Behram Shahzad, 15, Subhana, wife of Zaid Ullah, Meena Gul, Haris and Hussain.The bodies of two brothers – Shafi Ahmed and Tafseer Ullah, sons of Sawab Gul – were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

The injured included Ayaz, Abid, Mehwish, Nisar, Saleem, Samra, Qudratullah, Arif, Masood, Arbina, Anaar Bibi, Sawab Gul, Ibrahim and Sona.

Area people said the families living in the building were very poor and their men were labourers.

SP Butt said one of the injured, a woman, was in a serious condition and she was in the intensive-care unit at the hospital.

He said the building might have collapsed due to shoddy construction.

The police officer said the building owner had rented out different portions to five Pathan families. “It has not been ascertained how many people lived in the building as the occupants of the building have scant knowledge about one another,” he added. He said the police had started their probe to ascertain the factors behind the building collapse. “We are trying to locate the contractor involved in the construction of the building,” he added.

SP Butt said it was premature to say as to who was responsible for the building collapse. “Our investigation is still under way”, he added. He said the wife and a son of the building owner were among those killed. “The owner also lived with his family in the building,” he added.

The rescue workers said the gas lines in the area were ruptured due to the building collapse. They said a large number of people gathered at the site and their presence hampered rescue efforts

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah called for a report from the Karachi Building Control Authority regarding the building collapse.

CM visits site

SP Butt said the CM also visited the site at around 9pm and ordered an inquiry to ascertain the factors behind the building collapse. The chief minister expressed heart-felt grief over the deaths and sympathised with the bereaved families.

Official sources said he also ordered an inquiry into the incident to be carried out by the department concerned with the directives to provide medical treatment to the injured.

Meanwhile, chief of the Muttahida Quami Movement Altaf Hussain, Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad and Minister Shazia Marri also expressed deep sorrow over the Baldia tragedy.