Wall collapse leaves three dead

July 04, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 05:35 am IST - New Delhi:

The under-construction site in South-West Delhi’s Dwarka Sector-6 where the accident took place on Friday.— Photo: Special Arrangement

The under-construction site in South-West Delhi’s Dwarka Sector-6 where the accident took place on Friday.— Photo: Special Arrangement

Three labourers were killed and one injured when a wall at an under-construction hospital site in Dwarka collapsed on Friday afternoon, said the fire department.

Labourers and eyewitnesses claimed many more were injured, but they managed to emerge from the debris before the arrival of the rescue teams.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-West) R.A. Sanjeev said a case of causing death by negligence and negligent conduct with respect to pulling down or repairing buildings has been registered against the construction company and its engineers.

The fire department received a call for help at 11.45 a.m. on Friday. Rescue operations continued till late in the day, as heaps of mud had to be removed using cranes before all could be pulled out.

A member of the rescue team said the operation was tough as the victims were trapped in the lowest floor of the three-storey basement.

“One of the persons pulled out of the debris did not have a hand. We suspect the hand got accidentally severed by the crane during the rescue operation,” he added.

The accident took place in South-West Delhi’s Dwarka Sector-6. Mr. Sanjeev said the accident site is an extension of an under-construction hospital, Human Care Medical Charitable Trust.

The basement being built is nearly 40 feet deep. The side where the accident took place is surrounded by a brick wall, around eight feet high. A stretch of the wall spanning around 20 feet collapsed while several labourers were working in the basement located just next to the wall.

The wall collapse also led to mud sliding into the basement. “I was working at the other end of the basement when I heard a loud sound. I ran for my life,” said Ranjeet Kumar, a labourer who managed to escape unhurt.

Gym instructor Mahender Kumar, who witnessed the accident, said some labourers emerged from the debris immediately after the accident and left the spot with minor injuries.

“We saw a hand emerge from the debris. Around a dozen of us helped pull the man out,” he said, adding that the rescue teams arrived at the spot in 20 minutes and got to work.

Teams from the fire department, police, the National Disaster Response Force and the civic bodies worked together to rescue the victims.

“A makeshift wall was erected to keep the mud wall from collapsing, but it gave way,” said a police officer. Labourers alleged that water had been seeping in under the brick wall above, which led to loosening of the ground beneath it.

The deceased have been identified as Gulzar, Santosh and Jitender, all in their 20s. Another labourer, 22-year-old Ali Hasan, sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, said the police.

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