Death toll from Pakistan factory collapse rises to 26

Construction to build a third floor above the two operational floors was underway at the time of the collapse. He also informed the media that a safety survey of all the buildings across the Punjab province has been ordered.

“Rescue work is ongoing and I fear that the death toll may increase”, he said.

Rescuers, late Wednesday, said at least 70 people had been rescued and that up to 100 people were still trapped in the debris with a few crying for help.

Volunteers of a religious organization were seen distributing food and water bottles among relatives of the victims, who are still sitting on footpaths in cold weather. A few have been waiting for hours to hear about their loved ones.

Seventy-eight persons have so far been rescued safely from the debris.

A search and rescue operation is still underway at the site.

“Just 30 minutes ago we pulled another guy out alive”, he told AFP. More than 150 workers were present in the factory when the incident took place.

In September past year at least 24 people were killed in Lahore when the roof of a mosque collapsed.

He said the rescuers were using a de-layering technique.

The factory, located at an industrial site about 20 km (12 miles) south of the city, manufactured shopping bags.

One trapped worker called a local television station, according to Reuters.

There was still no clarity on what caused the collapse of the multi-storey building, and officials said the focus, for now, was on the rescue operation.

“Rescuers have to move slowly because it is our priority to avoid further injuries to those still trapped”. Factory owners are killing workers by saving money that should have been spent on making workplaces safe.

A powerful, magnitude 7.5 natural disaster occurred at the end of last month in the mountainous Hindu-Kush area where Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and Tajikistan meet.

Pakistan has a weak record of enforcing building codes and industrial safety laws.

As the case unfolded it also emerged that a few labourers of the factory had held a protest three days before the tragic collapse, complaining of cracks in its structure they noticed following the October 26 quake.

Rescuers on Friday recovered eight more bodies from under a factory building that collapsed in Lahore earlier this week. “They are all rushing to Lahore to see him”.