Death Toll Rises to 17 in Karachi Building Collapse as Rescue Efforts Continue

The death toll in the Karachi building collapse tragedy has risen to 17 as rescue teams continue their search for survivors under the debris in Lyari’s Lee Market area. The five-storey residential building crumbled shortly after 10:00 am on Friday, triggering chaos and panic in the densely populated neighbourhood, once infamous for gang violence and now struggling with crumbling infrastructure.

Overnight, emergency responders worked tirelessly to extract more bodies from the rubble. Dr. Samia, a surgeon at the Benazir Trauma Centre, confirmed that 16 bodies had been received at the facility, with another victim succumbing to injuries during treatment. At least 13 people have been hospitalized with injuries.

Senior officials, including Commissioner Karachi Syed Hassan Naqvi, DC South Javed Nabeel, and SSP City Arif Aziz Shikoh, visited the scene and vowed strict action against those responsible for the negligence that led to the collapse. Naqvi stated that the rescue mission, which had continued through the night, was expected to conclude within 24 hours.

Residents had reportedly resisted previous attempts to vacate the deteriorating building, which had been declared unsafe multiple times. In a somber press briefing, Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani accepted responsibility, revealing that the building was officially declared dangerous in June 2023. A final evacuation notice had been issued on February 28, yet many occupants refused to leave.

Ghani blamed entrenched corruption within the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), saying officials have allowed unauthorized high-rise structures on small plots, especially in Lyari. He also criticized K-Electric for supplying power to such buildings despite repeated government warnings. “Illegal buildings are thriving with support from within our own institutions,” he admitted.

According to government records, Karachi currently has 588 buildings classified as dangerous—456 of them in the South District alone, and 107 in Lyari. Although 14 buildings were recently vacated, many remain occupied despite the threat of collapse.

Abid Jalaluddin Shaikh, heading the 1122 emergency service, said the rescue efforts continued non-stop overnight and could take another eight to twelve hours to complete. Police official Summiaya Syed confirmed to AFP that 15 of the deceased were women. Authorities estimate nearly 100 people were residing in the building at the time of the incident.

Survivors and relatives of the victims shared harrowing accounts. Jumho Maheshwari, 70, said his entire family was in their first-floor flat when he left for work that morning. “Nothing is left for me now. My family is all trapped. I can only pray,” he said, overwhelmed with grief.

Another resident, Maya Sham Jee, said her brother’s family was also buried beneath the debris. “We are helpless. All we can do is wait and hope the rescue workers can bring our loved ones back.”

Shankar Kamho, 30, who had gone out shortly before the collapse, described a desperate call from his wife warning of cracks in the building. Despite skepticism from neighbors, she evacuated with their daughter just 20 minutes before the structure came down. “She saved our lives,” he said.

As rescue teams dig through the rubble and families cling to hope, the tragedy has once again highlighted Karachi’s ongoing struggle with unauthorized construction, lack of enforcement, and the human cost of institutional neglect.