KARACHI: The death toll from a five-story building collapse in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi rose to 27 on Sunday, officials said, after rescuers pulled two more bodies from the rubble.
The Fotan Mansion residential building, where several families were said to be living, crumbled on Friday in the impoverished Lyari neighborhood of the city. Rescue workers and local people searched through the night for survivors and bodies after the incident, which has once again laid bare the issue of unsafe housing in Karachi.
“With two more bodies recovered from the debris, the death toll from the building collapse has risen to 18,” Dr. Summayia Syed, the Karachi police surgeon, told Arab News.
“The victims have been identified as Rohit, 30, and his wife, Geeta, 24.”
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said the rescue operation was ongoing.
Many of the occupants were members of the low-income Hindu minority. Residents estimated there were about 40 people inside when the building collapsed.
The Sindh Building Control Authority said Fotan Mansion was deemed to be unsafe three years ago.
“This building was declared dangerous by the SBCA in 2022 and had been served multiple notices over the years,” spokesperson Shakeel Dogar said.
“Before the recent rains public announcements were also made in the area but, unfortunately, no one was willing to vacate.”
Friday’s incident is the latest in a string of deadly building collapses in Karachi. In February 2020, a five-story building collapsed in Rizvia Society, killing at least 27 people. The following month, a residential property collapsed in Gulbahar, claiming 16 lives.
In June 2021, a three-story building in Malir collapsed, killing four, and in August last year, a building collapse in Qur’angi led to at least three deaths.
Wahab said on Friday that rescue efforts remained the top priority, with accountability and investigation to follow.
“Once we’re done with the rescue aspect, we will focus on who was responsible for this negligence or omission,” he said.
