Owner, three labourers die in Dera Bassi building collapse

Mohali DC marks magisterial inquiry; MC building inspector finds poor quality material, faulty sanitary fittings used in construction of two-storey showroom

Four people, including the owner, died after a commercial building under construction collapsed in Meera Milli Mohalla, Dera Bassi, on Thursday morning.

The rescue operation continued for four hours, but all four men who were trapped died. (Sant Arora/HT)

The bodies of three labourers were recovered from the debris in a three-hour rescue operation, while the owner, Haridev Singh, 72, succumbed to his injuries at Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32, Chandigarh.

The labourers were identified as Gopi Chand, 60; Raju, 46; and Ramesh Sardara, 45, all migrants hailing from Bihar.

Mohali deputy commissioner Girish Dayalan has ordered a magisterial inquiry to be conducted and closed by sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Kuldeep Bawa within 10 days.

Dayalan said according to the on-the-spot report by the Dera Bassi municipal council building inspector, the collapse appeared to have been caused due to old material and faulty sanitary fittings used in construction, while structure stability and load-bearing capacity were also ignored.

Action will be taken after the inquiry report, he added.

Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has announced ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh to the kin of the deceased.

“District Administration along with @NDRFHQ team reached the spot but unfortunately, all 4 people trapped had succumbed to injuries,” Singh said on Twitter.

Police said Haridev Singh was getting the ground and first floors constructed of his 100 X16 square feet showroom. The showroom was coming up after demolishing old houses.

While Singh and three labourers were on site, three other labourers were working around the building, when the structure suddenly caved in around 9.30am, trapping the four men inside.

Singh and Ramesh were rescued within the first hour, but the latter had already died, while Singh was rushed to GMCH-32.

Over an hour later, a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team recovered the lifeless bodies of Gopi and Raju. Singh died at the hospital during treatment. He is survived by his wife and two sons, who are married.

The bodies were sent to the Dera Bassi civil hospital for post-mortem examination.

“The civil defence, police, medical, fire and NDRF teams initiated the rescue operation soon after receiving information of the collapse. Power supply to the building was immediately cut off to avoid further accidents,” said Dera Bassi SDM Kuldeep Bawa.

He added that the rescue operation was called off after over four hours on the confirmation that no more people were trapped in the debris.