E-Paper
1 dead, 10 injured as under-construction building collapses in Kharar
As per information, around 11 people were working at the site when the mishap took place. Out of this, nine people were able to jump to safety. They, however, sustained minor injuries in the process and had to be hospitalised. The remaining two, identified as Ajay Kumar of Uttar Pradesh and Nitish Kumar of Bihar, could not get out and were buried under the debris. One of them was declared brought dead at the hospital
One person was killed while 10 sustained injuries after an under construction three-storey commercial building collapsed in Sector-126, Kharar, around 6pm on Saturday.
As per information, around 11 people were working at the site when the mishap took place. Out of this, nine people were able to jump to safety. They, however, sustained minor injuries in the process and had to be hospitalised.
The remaining two, identified as Ajay Kumar of Uttar Pradesh and Nitish Kumar of Bihar, could not get out and were buried under the debris. They were rescued with the help of cranes in a 90-minute long operation and later rushed to the Phase 6 civil hospital in Mohali, where Ajay was declared brought dead.
As per police officials, Ajay was lying upside down, in the debris, for around two hours before he could be rescued, due to which he had suffered fatal injuries.
“The labourers were laying the roof of the third floor when it came crashing down, bringing down the other floors with it. The building was being constructed for showrooms, ” an official said. Superintendent of police (Mohali rural) Navreet Singh Virk along with Kharar deputy superintendent of police Rupinder Deep Kaur were on site to monitor the rescue operations. At the time of filing of the report, teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team and fire brigade were scouring the spot to check if more people were stuck under the rubble.The NDRF team also demolished the remaining part of the building, fearing it would give way.
‘Construction was being carried out in haste’
On reasons for the building collapse, an official, on the condition of anonymity, said it seems the third floor was being constructed in haste. “The cement on the first and second floors had not even dried, presumably due to the cold weather conditions, but still, the work on the third floor was started,” said the official.
Labourers present at the spot too alleged that safety measures were not being followed.
SP Virk said they will take appropriate legal action against those found at fault after probe.
The building is registered under the name of Leena Kalra, wife of Harpreet Singh Kalra of Sector 70.
When contacted, Harpreet Kalra termed the incident unfortunate and said he had given the contract to Dinesh Kumar of Bihar, who, he said, should have followed all safety protocols. Kalra added that he was in Ambala on Saturday owing to the ill-health of his father and would reach the city on Sunday.
Mohali senior superintendent of police Sandeep Garg, who had also reached the spot, said, “We will take legal action against the contractor. If any negligence on the part of the building owner is found, he too would be booked.”
