Man, Lyari just can’t catch a break. On July 4, 2025, that old five-story Fotan Mansion in Baghdadi, Lyari, straight up crumbled. Fifteen lives lost—heartbreaking. Rescue folks are still digging, and everyone’s holding their breath ’cause 6 or 7 people might still be under all that concrete. Karachi’s crumbling buildings are basically a ticking time bomb, and this is just the latest awful chapter.
So what actually went down?
It happened around 10 in the morning. That building, Fotan Mansion, was built in the ‘70s and packed to the brim—20 families, give or take, maybe 100 people. The Sindh Building Control Authority kept telling people to get out, but where are they supposed to go? Not like Karachi’s handing out spare flats. Now, after two days, 15 bodies have been pulled out (five women, two kids—just gut wrenching), nine folks are alive but hurt, and three are clinging to life at SMBB Trauma Centre. Dark times.
Why does this keep happening?
Honestly, Karachi’s got a whole cocktail of problems:
- Buildings are ancient. Forty years old, easy.
- Construction? Shady as hell—cheap materials, cut corners, you know the drill.
- People slap on illegal floors or “extensions” like it’s nothing, making buildings even sketchier.
- SBCA says, “Hey, these 588 buildings are dangerous!” Then… nothing really changes.
- And don’t get me started on the rain. Monsoon hits, everything turns to mush.
Lyari’s packed, people are desperate for space, so nobody leaves even when the walls are literally cracking.
This isn’t even rare, sadly.
Karachi’s had its fair share of these disasters:
- July 2025: Fotan Mansion—15 dead.
- June 2020: Another Lyari building—22 dead.
- Feb 2020: Rizvia Society—27 gone.
- March 2020: Gulbahar—16 lost.
It’s almost like déjà vu every year. You’d think someone would learn, but here we are.
Quick Comparison: Karachi Building Collapses (2020-2025)
| Date | Place | Deaths | Injuries | What Went Wrong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2025 | Lyari, Baghdadi | 15 | 9 | Old building, monsoon |
| June 2020 | Lyari | 22 | ? | Bad construction |
| Feb 2020 | Rizvia Society | 27 | ? | Shoddy materials |
| Mar 2020 | Gulbahar | 16 | ? | Illegal extensions |
Rescue’s always a nightmare
You’ve got Rescue 1122, Edhi Foundation, even the Rangers out there since day one. But Lyari’s alleys are super tight—big machines can’t get in. People crowding everywhere, plus phone signals are jammed because of Muharram security. It’s chaos, honestly. They say it could take another half-day just to clear the site. Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah is mad (finally?) and suspended some SBCA folks, but we’ve heard that tune before.
How can you actually help?
- Toss a donation to Edhi Foundation or anyone helping—these families literally have nothing left.
- Blow up social media with #LyariCollapse. The more noise, the better.
- Push for real change. SBCA’s got that deadly list—make them act on it this time.
- Support NGOs like Urban Resource Centre—they’re actually trying to fix the city’s planning mess.
- Tell your local reps to stop dragging their feet on building inspections and forced evacuations. Enough is enough.
Final thoughts
Fifteen more lives lost. All because we keep ignoring the rot in Karachi’s buildings. There are 588 more just like Fotan Mansion waiting to fall. Unless the city gets serious about this, we’ll be reading the same sad headlines next year. Don’t just scroll past—donate, speak up, do something. Karachi deserves better.
