Buildings collapse in Greater Noida: Three dead, rescuers search for missing family

The two buildings that collapsed in Greater Noida were illegal structures and presumably fell due to weak foundations and poor construction quality. One of the two builders has been detained in this connection.

Hours after two buildings collapsed in Greater Noida’s Shahberi village, National Disaster Response Force personnel and local police teams continued to dig through the rubble in search of likely survivors on Wednesday morning.

Rescue operations are on after two buildings collapsed in Greater Noida’s Shahberi village on Tuesday night. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Three bodies had already been pulled out until reports last came in, and rescue workers were specifically trying to trace the members of a family that had moved into one of the buildings recently.

Two buildings, one of which was built a year ago and another one that was still under construction, collapsed around 10 pm on Tuesday presumably due to weak foundations and use of poor construction material. Both the structures were illegal, built without acquiring the Greater Noida Authority’s permission.

“Four teams have been carrying out rescue work at the site since 9.30 pm, and three bodies have been recovered so far. The operation is still underway. Local residents told us that a family had moved into a top-floor apartment of one of the buildings. We are trying to find them as well as any construction worker who may be trapped in the debris,” said BN Singh, district magistrate of the Gautam Budh Nagar district. Although officials said several labourers were living in the semi-constructed building, they were not able to give an exact number.

Police have already detained a Ghaziabad-based builder in this connection, and are searching for another. “Two builders – one from Ghaziabad and the other from Meerut – owned the two buildings,” said Singh.

Around 200 rescue personnel are engaged in search operations at the site. The administration has also granted four earth movers and other machines for the purpose.