In a heartbreaking incident that has once again shaken the residents of Karachi, a roof collapse in Karachi Lyari claimed the lives of two women and left three others injured on Thursday. The tragic event unfolded in the Baghdadi area of Lyari, where the roof of a residential building suddenly gave way. Rescue officials responded quickly, confirming the deaths and injuries shortly after reaching the scene.
According to police, the collapse is believed to have occurred due to structural failure on the fifth or sixth floor of the aging building. The incident marks the second roof or building collapse in Lyari during the month of July, raising alarm bells regarding the condition of many residential structures in this densely populated part of the city.
Rescue 1122 and Edhi Foundation teams carried out a rapid operation to evacuate survivors from under the rubble, while local residents joined in to help. The injured were rushed to Civil Hospital Karachi and are currently in stable condition, according to medical staff. Authorities have cordoned off the area for safety and further investigation.
This tragedy comes just days after the catastrophic Lyari building collapse on July 4 that claimed 27 lives and left eight others injured. That earlier incident involved a six-storey structure in the Baghdadi locality collapsing in the early hours, destroying dozens of rickshaws and motorcycles parked nearby and leaving families homeless. In response to the previous collapse, the Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori had visited the site and announced 80-yard plots for victims’ families, along with promises of ration and support.
A preliminary investigation into the July 4 collapse held 14 individuals responsible, including six officials from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), for negligence and regulatory failures. Yet, despite these developments, another roof collapse in the same locality has now occurred, exposing the continued risk and lack of immediate reforms.
As Karachi reels from repeated incidents like the Karachi Lyari roof collapse, residents are calling for swift action from city authorities, particularly in monitoring old buildings and enforcing structural safety standards. Many buildings in Lyari are decades old, with limited maintenance, making them extremely vulnerable during monsoon season or under load-bearing stress.
The question now looms large over how many more such incidents must occur before effective urban safety reforms are enforced in Karachi’s most densely populated neighborhoods.
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