Child killed, 5 people injured in roof collapse incident in Lahore

LAHORE: A child was killed and at least five people were injured after the roof of an under-construction building collapsed in Lahore’s Baghbanpura neighbourhood on Thursday, police said.

An update issued by the Baghbanpura police said an eight-year-old boy died, while four men and a child were injured.

Speaking to the media, Baghbanpura Station House Officer (SHO) Rizwan Khan said the school administration was expanding its 14-marla building by constructing a two-marla structure.

“During the construction of the aforesaid area, rubble from the roof fell on the road, killing a young boy and injuring a bike rider along with the construction workers,” he added.

Footage showed multiple women, who were reportedly from the adjacent school, being taken away in a police van.

However, the SHO denied that anyone had been taken into custody, saying the teachers were taken away to prevent any unfavourable situation considering public sentiment.

In an earlier statement, Rescue 1122 said seven of its vehicles and 25 personnel took part in the rescue operation. The injured were rushed to the Services Hospital after being provided with first aid, it added.

The incident comes two days after a roof collapse incident at a tuition centre claimed the lives of 14 children in Lahore’s Kahna area.

On Wednesday, hundreds of mourners took part in funeral prayers at the local mosque before the dead children, mostly aged between four and 12, were carried to the graveyard for burial.

Roof and building collapses are common across Pakistan, mainly due to poor safety standards and the use of substandard construction materials in the South Asian country of more than 240 million people. ...