Daijiworld Media Network - Ghaziabad
Ghaziabad, Nov 7: Several workers were injured after the roof slab of an under-construction house collapsed in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad district on Saturday, trapping labourers beneath the debris, officials said.
The incident occurred in the Modinagar police station limits while construction work was underway and several labourers were present at the site. The roof slab, locally known as a 'lanter', suddenly gave way, trapping workers underneath.
Following information about the collapse, teams from the Fire Service, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation.
Rural Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Surendra Nath Tiwari said five people had been rescued so far.
Speaking to reporters, Tiwari said the roof slab being constructed at a house belonging to a person identified as Satyender had collapsed, trapping several workers.
He said NDRF, SDRF and Fire Service teams reached the spot soon after receiving information about the incident.
The rescue operation was continuing, with police and emergency personnel working to ascertain whether more people remained trapped beneath the debris.
The incident comes days after a three-storey under-construction building collapsed in Delhi's Chawri Bazar area, killing three people.
The collapse occurred on Thursday, with authorities receiving information at around 9.50 am from Gali Sitara, near Chawri Bazar Metro Station.
A massive rescue operation involving the Delhi Police, NDRF, Delhi Fire Services and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was subsequently launched. Two bodies were recovered on Thursday, while one injured person was rescued and shifted to hospital for treatment.
According to police, the construction work being carried out at the collapsed building was illegal and the structure was unsafe.
Following the tragedy, the MCD suspended its Junior Engineer and Assistant Engineer, while an FIR was registered against the contractor.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta assured that every possible effort would be made to rescue anyone trapped under the debris. She said an investigation was underway and strict action would be taken against those found responsible.