Chennai, June 28 – One person died after a 12-storeyed under-construction building collapsed in a city suburb on Saturday.
Many people are still feared trapped under the debris of the building, a top Fire and Rescue Services official has said. Some reports said rains that have lashed the area could be the reason.
“Eleven floors seem to have been completed so far. The building collapsed suddenly according to statement of eyewitnesses,” Fire and Rescue Services Joint Director S Vijayasekar told PTI.
One worker has been rescued, he said, adding ambulances, doctors and paramedical personnel were on the spot.
Twelve fire tenders and 100 personnel were involved in the rescue work, he said.
The incident occurred at Moulivakkam near Porur in the western suburb, about 20 km from Chennai, as rains lashed the area and several other parts of the city this evening.
Asked if rains could also have been a factor in the collapse of the building, the official said “it does not seem to be due to the rains. We have to see.”
On the number of trapped workers, he said, “It is not possible to categorically comment on it. Eyewitnesses say that there were about 50 construction workers at the time of the collapse.”
