Building collapse kills 15 in Pakistan

Soldiers and rescuers in Lahore have pulled 108 people out of the rubble of the four-story factory in Lahore alive, with at least 21 people confirmed dead, officials said, carefully cutting through steel and using cranes and heavy machinery to lift the debris.

“The building collapsed more than 24 hours ago and we have a hope to find more survivors”, Jam Sajjad Hussain, a spokesman from the state rescue agency, told The Associated Press.

“We found 23 dead bodies from the collapsed building”, he said, adding that another 102 injured were recovered and shifted to hospitals, where several of them were in critical condition.

“Army engineers have been immediately moved for the rescue operation”, the text message from the military as quoted by the Reuters.

The collapsed Rajapur Polyester polythene bag factory was located in Sundar Industrial Estate, 45 kilometers from Lahore.

It is not known what caused the collapse of the factory where plastic bags were manufactured.

“Some of the pillars of the building had been weakened in the natural disaster”, Navid told AFP, adding that workers had informed the owner of the problems. At around 150, officials have put the total number of those involved, however, workers said it may have been higher.

Also Special Forces also have been dispatched from Rawalpindi by atmosphere for Lahore. Rescue officials faced difficulties during rescue operations, which continued throughout the night. Meanwhile, eye witnesses say they can hear the screams of those trapped under the collapsed structure.

Investigators are looking for evidence of negligence on the part of the owner of the factory or the government department responsible for regulating industrial activities. Though the exact reason for the collapse is still not clear, it brought down four storeys of building on the construction workers.

We have ordered a complete investigation into the incident. The injured were being shifted to hospitals and the bodies to the morgue and that’s all. He said that all out efforts are being made for the safe evacuation of every labourer buried under the debris. He said that orders have been issued for investigation into the incident, in the light of which, action will be taken.

Allah Ditta, an uncle of Shahid, also said it was a “miracle” that Shahid is alive and that relatives were rushing to Lahore from a town in the eastern Punjab province to be reunited.

The collapse occurred towards the end of the work day during the evening, when hundreds of people were still inside the building, according to The Independent.