Top

4 killed in Tiruchy building collapse

The deceased were identified as Karthi (40) and his son Harish, Palani (30), and his wife Mrs. Rajathi (25), police sources told DC.

TIRUCHY: In a major tragedy, four persons including a five-and-a-half-year old boy were killed on the spot and six others including a one-and-a-half-year old girl were injured when an old three-storied building collapsed in Tiruchy town in the wee hours of Sunday.

The deceased were identified as Karthi (40) and his son Harish, Palani (30), and his wife Mrs. Rajathi (25), police sources told DC. The injured included Ms. KarthIga (30), wife of deceased Karthikeyan, and Parameswari daughter of the deceased couple. They were occupants of a house in the rear of the building that collapsed on Sunday and the victims were asleep when the concrete structure suddenly caved in on them.

Among the others who were injured, Mrs. Sundarammabal, Mohammad Yusuf, his wife Ayisha and one Peer Mohammad were admitted to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital here. Police said four families resided in the ill-fated building. The deceased and the injured were residing on the first and second floors, while occupants of the ground floor and the third floor had a lucky escape as they were away to attend a function.

The State Tourism minister, Mr. Vellamandi Natarajan, district collector K. Rajamani, corporation commissioner, N. Ravichandran, city police commissioner A. Arun, former minister K.N. Nehru and others visited the spot.

A medical team led by dean of the Dr K.A.P. Viswanatham Government medical college hospital and a police team led by DCP (crime and Traffic), Mayilvaganan personally supervised the relief and rescue operations.

Even as further investigations are on, two possible reasons are cited for the building collapse. The first is that the heavy rains of the last few days had damaged the old building structure, while the second reason is attributed the adjacent house owner drilling a deep bore-well that might have affected the basement of the old collapsed building.

District Collector K Rajamani told media persons that the district administration will take up the issue with the State Government for suitable compensation to the kin of the deceased and injured family members. He said before onset of the Northeast monsoon, the local authorities would identify very old buildings in the temple town and take remedial steps.

Vellamandi Natarajan said he would convene a meeting of the officials shortly to discuss the remedial measures needed to avoid such mishaps in future.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
Next Story