Toll in building collapse rises to 13

The death toll in Friday's building collapse here rose to 13 as two more bodies were retrieved from the debris while rescue work continued on Saturday.

The death toll in Friday's building collapse in Mumbai rose to 13 as two more bodies were retrieved from the debris while rescue work continued on Saturday.

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Eighteen hours after the four-storeyed under construction building caved in, a person was pulled out alive from the debris. Hyderabad District Collector Navin Mittal said watchman Mallaiah was rescued early Saturday and shifted to hospital.

The rescue teams were continuing their work to clear the debris as officials fear more people could be trapped under the huge concrete slabs.

The accident in the busy Narayanguda area in the city centre has claimed 13 lives, including a two-year-old child and four women. Six people were injured. All the victims were construction labourers from Medak and Mahabubnagar districts.

The district collector said the building was being constructed without permission from municipal authorities. "We will take legal action against the builder," he said.

Officials said the builder was constructing additional floors on an old building, which led to the mishap.

The building collapsed around 2.30 pm on Friday. The students of an adjacent private school had a narrow escape. The authorities have closed the school as its building too suffered damage.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) suspended three officials for their failure to prevent unauthorised construction.

The government has ordered a probe into the collapse and announced compensation of Rs.200,000 to the families of each of those killed.