Building in Pakistan collapses, killing at least 2 residents

KARACHI, Pakistan—A dilapidated, three-story building in a poorer neighborhood of Pakistan’s sprawling port city of Karachi has collapsed as the residents slept, killing at least two people and injuring another eight.

Rescue workers are still trying to free at least two survivors trapped when the building collapsed about 3 a.m. Tuesday.

Karachi’s Deputy Commissioner Farid Uddin said the death toll could climb as rescue workers carefully sifted through the rubble.

Uddin said the cause of the collapse wasn’t immediately known.

Initial reports indicate the age of the building and poor construction could have caused the collapse.

Safety codes are often ignored in Pakistan and in some of the poorer areas construction is haphazard and bribes are paid to inspectors to approve substandard construction. JPV