LAHORE: Four people were feared dead while five others, including three children, were rescued after roof of a three-storey house collapsed at Aslam Khan Mohallah of the Bhatti Gate area on Saturday.

The incident occurred at 3pm where the top roof of an old house caved in due to its dilapidated condition.

The four deceased included Qasim Ali, his daughter-in-law, Shaheen Bibi, and their guest, Shahzad, who had come to see them. Another deceased could not be identified.

The witnesses told the police that nine people, including eight members of a family, were buried under the debris when the roof collapsed. Three children were also among them besides their parents.

Rescue 1122 responded to the emergency call and rushed to the site, they said adding that the operation was delayed owing to the narrow streets and encroachments.

A local resident told the media that head of the family Khizar Hayat, his wife Shaheen Bibi, three children Nawaaf (15), Araib (5), Haseeb (3), his father, Qasim, their guest, Shahzad, and two other persons were present in the house at the time of the incident.

A spokesperson for the Rescue 1122 said the teams recovered four members of the family, including three children, alive within an hour of the incident. They included Haseeb, Nawaaf, Khizar and Araib. They were rushed to hospital with multiple injuries. He feared that more persons were still missing and the rescue work was in progress to find them alive or dead.

The rescue work was in progress when this report was filed at 9pm. The bodies of the deceased were yet to be recovered.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2019