Bangalore: A 23-year-old construction worker, Bharath, was buried alive and another seriously injured when an under-construction collapsed in HBR layout, in KG Halli police limits on Tuesday morning.
A rescue operation lasting over five hours resulted in the rescue of 19-year-old Birbal, who had been trapped in the debris, but officials were unable to save Bharath, who reportedly suffocated to death an hour after the collapse.
Police said Bharath, who hails from Bengal, came to the city three years ago, looking for work. Birbal is a native of Jharkhand and has been working on the construction site for two months.
Around 10.30 am on Tuesday, four workers were removing the centring board filled with concrete from a mud wall, when it caved in on them. Two labourers managed to make their way out, but Birbal and Bharath remained trapped.
Locals and passersby heard the workers’ calls for help and informed the nearby traffic police, who called the K G Halli police. Personnel from fire and emergency services, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and civil defence also rushed to the spot.
A huge concrete slab had reportedly fallen on top of the mud under which the workers were buried. Rescue workers had to break the concrete slab and weld through the iron bars fitted on it, to begin digging for the duo.
The five-hour operation revealed Birbal had been buried upto his chest, while Bharath was trapped much lower. Birbal reportedly told police that Bharath survived for nearly an hour, but later died of asphyxiation.
Birbal was administered fluids to ease the severe dehydration and admitted to a private hospital in Indiranagar, where doctors declared him out of danger.
Deputy commissioner of police (East) P S Harsha, said, “An investigation is being launched into this incident to verify whether or not the construction was being carried out with approval from concerned civic authorities.”
