At least 27 people have died following the collapse Friday of a multistory residential building in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and financial hub. Rescue operations concluded Sunday after three days of intensive work involving heavy machinery and specialized equipment, according to officials from Rescue 1122, the state emergency service.
Dr. Summaiya Tariq, a police surgeon in Karachi, confirmed that 11 more bodies were recovered from the rubble, bringing the total fatalities to 27. Ten people were injured during the collapse, and one later died at a hospital. Authorities report that 15 women and three children are among the dead, and three survivors remain in critical condition.
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The building, located in a densely populated neighborhood, was over 30 years old and had previously been declared structurally unsafe. Officials said it had not been evacuated despite warnings.
“Rescue activities are in the final stage and most of the building debris has been removed,” said Hassaan Ul Haseeb Khan, spokesperson for Rescue 1122.
A government-appointed committee has been formed to investigate the cause of the collapse. The incident has renewed concerns about urban safety and regulatory oversight in the city. Karachi has seen similar disasters in recent years, including a 2020 building collapse that killed 22 people.