11 die in Rampura house collapse

At least 11 people including five women were killed as a two-storey makeshift house caved in the swampy soil by the Jheelpar in Rampura of Dhaka.

An unspecified number of residents got trapped under the sunken floor of the house made of corrugated iron sheets and bamboos that caved in the swampy ground.

Md Anwar Hossain, deputy commissioner (Motijheel zone) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said that the deceased were identified as six men and five women.   

Major Shakil Newaz, acting director general of Fire Service and Civil Defense that carried out the rescue operation, however said that they recovered nine bodies.  

Arifur Rahman, an inspector of Fire Service Khilgaon station, who is engaged in rescue operation, told The Daily Star that the bottom floor of the structure made of corrugated iron sheet caved in the swampy soil and the rescue operation is going on.

Nine units of fire service with 50 manpower including three divers conducted the operation, he said. 

The building had 12 rooms on each floor.

The incident occurred around 2:30pm when the ground floor of the building suddenly caved into the land, said Ali Ahmed, a local resident.