At least six people, including four members of a family, died and many injured as roof of a triple-storey dilapidated, building collapsed in Delhi Gate area on Saturday. According to Rescue 1122 officials, they recovered four dead bodies of a single family, including father Ghulam Abbas, mother Bibi Maryam and their two young sons from debris of the building. Luckily, they added that their minor boy was remained safe in this unfortunate incident.
A passerby and his five-year-old niece, identified as Minahil, were also among the victims they said, adding that the minor along with her uncle was going to a school when the roof fell upon them, resulting into their instant death. The rescuers and police personnel apprehended that more deaths could be expected as the operation of removing debris was underway till filing of this report. "We are removing rubbles with the help of mules as the area was too congested," a rescuer Muhammad Usman, said while talking to this scribe.
It may be noted that the police officers and rescuers had to face many types of difficulties in ensuring rapid rescue operation because of narrow streets. "After receiving a call at around 8:15 to 8:25 am that a building backside of the Wazir Khan Mosque has been collapsed, we along with contingent of police immediately reached the spot and started rescue operation," he said, adding that all the injured were sent to hospitals after providing first aid.
He said that the dead bodies had been sent to a morgue for an autopsy. Replying to a query, he said he believe that it was a natural incident as the building was too "dilapidated". Moreover, the police personnel cordoned the area leading to the building and collected evidences from the scene.
Eyewitnesses while talking to this reporter said after the incident, they saw people rushing away just to save their lives. They said there was a huge cloud of dust and windowpanes of nearby houses were also shattered with the intensity of the boom.
An eyewitness and nearby trader Ejaz Hussain, said he was just few steps away from the site when the incident occurred. "Before the incident, I saw a man along with a minor girl shopping some daily use items from a general store of the building. Meanwhile, the roof of the building collapsed and its rubbles fell upon them and they died instantly," he said in a sobbing tone.
Another nearby trader Muhammad Sajid criticized the government for not renovating their dilapidated houses and buildings, saying that the lives of many people living in the walled city area are at huge risk because of dilapidated construction. He said that there are many people in the walled city who cannot renovate their houses because of their financial maladies. Therefore, it is up to the government to renovate their houses as such areas are the asset of the nation, he added.
"It was not the only dilapidated building, but a lot more which needs immediate attention of the government so further innocent lives could be saved."
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