Ambala, Sept. 27 -- Four people died while more than ten were injured when a three-storeyed building under construction collapsed at Dhulkot village near Ambala City on Sunday, officials said.
The incident unfolded in the late afternoon when the concrete slab (lintel) for the roof was being cast on the first floor, prompting locals to initiate rescue efforts before informing the police and emergency services.
One of the injured workers claimed that some labourers were working on the ground floor, while others were engaged in the casting work above.
Ambala Civil Surgeon Renu Beri told reporters that 12 injured labourers were brought to the hospital, of whom five are still admitted, two were discharged on request, while the others were discharged after first aid was applied.
"Four were brought dead to the civil hospital in the evening. Their bodies have been shifted to the mortuary," she further said.
Talking to reporters in the evening, Ambala's Superintendent of Police, Ajit Singh Shekhawat, confirmed that four people had died in the incident.
NDRF, State Disaster Response Force, police and civil administration teams were engaged in the rescue operations after the incident, he said.
When asked if more people were trapped under the debris, the SP said, "Two to three people have been located, and efforts are on to rescue them."
Police and senior administrative officials immediately arrived at the site with rescue equipment and engaged in removing debris.
An official said that heavy earth-moving machines and other machinery were pressed into service.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.