The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

One of the corridors of an abandoned WAPDA building, adjacent to the Journalists' Colony at Mirpur in the city, collapsed yesterday trapping about 20 members of five families into their rooms.

At least 101 stranded Pakistani families have been living in this dilapidated building since independence.

A 20-foot passage on the 3rd floor of building collapsed at about 10:40am blocking the exit of the inhabitants.

On information, firefighters rushed to the spot and tried to rescue the trapped members. But they refused to come out in fear of losing their shelters.

Special Officer of the fire unit Syed Monirul Islam said the firefighters repeatedly requested the trapped members to get out of the building, but they did not respond till 12:30pm. "Where will we go after leaving this building?" said one of the trapped people. The firefighters finally succeeded in bringing out of the building.

President of Urdu-Speaking People Youths Rehabilitation Movement (USPYRM) Md Sadakat Khan told reporters that the building was declared abandoned eight years ago.

He regretted that government did not construct a new building for sheltering the 101 families and that is why they refused to leave the building without the assurance of their alternative rehabilitation.