Eight persons were killed and another 25 injured when a water tank situated in the midst of a slum in the city’s posh Arera Colony collapsed past midnight on Sunday. Rescue operations continued the whole night to clear the debris and pull out persons buried under it. According to residents of the colony, the water tank built in the year 1987 had started tilting towards one side and they had made complaint to municipal corporation and district administration officials, expressing apprehension that it might collapse some day but no action was taken.

Police and administration, however, swung into action after the incident and with the help of other residents of the colony tried to rescue persons, who had come under the rubble.

As the 18-feet tall tank with a capacity of three lakh gallon water collapsed on the shanties around, power supply in the area was also snapped and there was stark darkness all around with cries of people renting the air.

Water also gushed out of the tank but it appared to be not fully filled because most of the casualties are reported from injuries caused by ribble of the tank.

Minister for water resources Jayant Mallaiya has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. one lakh for the kin of those killed and Rs. 25,000 to persons injured in the incident.

Mayor Krishna Gaur has also announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 25,000 for the families of persons killed in the incident.