An eight-year-old schoolgirl was killed and three otiters of the family sustained injuries as a water tank of their rented house collapsed on them while they were asleep early yesterday at Jigatola of the city. Suraiya Islam Ira, the deceased, was a grade-II student of Europa International School in the area.

The injured are her mother Milon Akhter, 32, and elder sisters Suraiya Islam Ila, 10, Suraiya Islam Ima, 14. Critically injured Milon was admitted to a local hospital while others were given first aid.

Ira's maternal uncle Mohsin Ahmed said Milon with her three daughters rented a tin-shed house built on the rooftop of the one-storey building seven years back A water tank on the rooftop of a brick-made bathroom adjacent to their room collapsed around 3:30am on the tin-shed house.

The rubble crushed Ira, who was sleeping with her mother, dead on the spot and her mother was critically injured. Her sisters who were sleeping in the next room also sustained injuries.

Neighbours rescued the victims from under the debris and rushed to hospital. The two-room-tin-shed house was totally damaged in the incident.

Mohsin alleged that house owner Shahidul Islam built the faulty water tank only with bricks and cement. Tenants requested him several times to remove the tank for the sake of safety but he did not pay any heed.

He said Milon wanted to shift the house but could not do so as the house owner borrowed Tk 5,00,000 from them and was delaying to pay back

Mohsin filed a case with Hazaribagh Police Station against the house owner accusing him of building a faulty water tank and ignoring the tenants' safety.

Officer-in-Charge of the station Rafiqul Islam said the owner fled the house following the incident and police are trying to arrest him.

Ira's autopsy was conducted at Sir Salimullah Medical College morgue yesterday. Morgue sources said she suffered injuries to her head and waist.