KARACHI: Two people were killed and five others injured, including two in critical condition, after a building collapsed in Lyari after Sunday night’s rain on Monday, police and rescue services officials said.

Chakiwara SHO Raja Tariq said that two men died and five were injured when the roof of a building collapsed. The building was constructed on an area of 60 square yards, he said and added that one shop was constructed on its ground floor while one room was constructed on the first floor where some bachelors were living.

The SHO opined that there was an apparent ‘negligence’ as construction material was substandard and could not withstand the impact of even moderate rain.

He said relatives of the two deceased told the police in writing that they did not want any legal proceedings.

Rescue-1122 official Hassaan Khan told Dawn that it was a ground plus one old structure where the rooms were constructed on the first floor ostensibly illegally.

He said that after receiving information about the collapse of the building, their rescue team along with disaster response vehicle started rescue operation.

Bodies of two men, identified as Husain Mohammed, 30, and Mansoor Ali, 28, were retrieved from the debris. One of them died because of suffocation while other’s head was badly smashed.

The rescue official said their team faced difficulties in getting access to the collapsed structure due to narrow streets.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2024