By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: At least 11 people lost their lives and six others sustained injuries after a three-storey residential housr collapsed in Lahore’s Harbanspura area late Wednesday night, officials said.
Rescue authorities completed the recovery operation after retrieving the body of a young girl from the debris, bringing the final death toll to 11.
Officials said the house was occupied by three brothers and their families. Their sister and her children had also gathered at the residence for a family birthday celebration when the structure suddenly gave way.
According to district administration officials, the building reportedly collapsed progressively from the upper floors before the entire structure came down.
The exact cause of the collapse has not yet been established. Lahore Deputy Commissioner retired Captain Muhammad Ali Ijaz has ordered an inquiry to determine whether structural defects, negligence or any other factors contributed to the tragedy.
Rescue 1122 personnel, supported by the district administration, conducted an overnight rescue and recovery operation. Heavy machinery was brought in to remove debris and speed up the search for those trapped beneath the rubble.
The incident has once again raised concerns over the safety of ageing and poorly maintained buildings in Punjab.
Last month, 14 children were killed after the roof of a tuition centre collapsed in Lahore’s Kahna area. Authorities later registered a criminal case against the owners of the academy and the building contractor, alleging that construction material placed on the roof had weakened the structure.
In another fatal incident earlier this year, four children died and around 20 others were injured when a classroom roof collapsed at a private school in Dera Ghazi Khan. An official investigation concluded that excessive construction material stored on the roof had overloaded the structure, leading to its collapse.
Authorities are expected to submit the findings of the Harbanspura inquiry after examining the building’s structural condition and surrounding circumstances.
