Karachi/Islamabad: At least one person died when the roof of a shop caved in during construction work in Karachi, Pakistan on Thursday, November 5, local media reported.
Rescue 1122 Chief Operating Officer Abid Shaikh told Dawn that the incident happened during construction work.
Three people were rescued from the wreckage and moved to a hospital. However, search and rescue operations are ongoing to find any further people still trapped.
Building accidents a concern in Pakistan
Caving roofs and buildings have frequently led to casualties in Pakistan due to concerns over the quality of construction.
One person was killed and seven injured when the roof of an unfinished building caved in near the Northern Bypass in Multan, Punjab province on October 27.
A minimum of 31 people, including 30 students and one female teacher, died when the roof of a school collapsed in the Afridi Abad area of Peshawar on October 15.
The owner of the school has been arrested and a case will be filed relating to the incident, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Mian Saeed said, The Express Tribune reported.
“The roof of the school was very weak. The building was also in a tight alleyway so it made it difficult to save the people. There were approximately 110 children in the school,” he added.
Previous incidents
A couple were killed and their daughters injured when the roof of their home collapsed in Islamabad after three days of heavy rain in August, Dawn reported.
At least 11 people were killed and six injured when a three-story building collapsed in the Harbanspura town of Lahore in July.
Three brothers and their families were living in the building, however their sister and children had come to visit for their birthday just before the incident, a spokesperson said.
Lahore Deputy Commissioner Captain Muhammad Ali Ijaz (retd) ordered an investigation into the incident to determine why the building collapsed.
The latest incident in Karachi highlights the dangers unsafe construction can pose.