Chennai: A 28-year-old man was killed and a woman injured when a portion of a building and a mobile tower installed on it collapsed on them on Mint Street in Sowcarpet n Saturday afternoon.
The deceased was identified as M. Paranthaman, a fish-cart rider from Washermenpet and injured woman was Lalitha, 49, of Jeeva Nagar, Korukkupet.
Paranthaman was having tea from a roadside shop when the portion of the cement slab fell on him. He died immediately.
Onlookers informed police, fire and rescue service. Fire service rescue workers from Esplanade, Washermenpet and high court rushed to the place and removed the debris. They rescued the woman and took out Paranthaman trapped underneath the debris.
The two were taken to Stanley Medical College Hospital where a medical team declared Paranthaman dead on arrival, while Lalitha was admitted to ICU.
A police team headed by Flower Bazaar Deputy Commissioner of Police (incharge) S. Jayakumar visited the scene. “The accident happened as the building was in very bad shape. A slab from the roof collapsed and fell on the box like mobile tower installed by the Tata Docomo - a mobile phone service provider.
The huge box fell on the balcony of the first floor facing the road. The box and balcony slab crushed the man to death,” an officer said. Police is enquiring with Devaraj, the owner of the building.
“He arrived at the place as soon as he came to know about the accident,” police noted. As of now the police have registered a case of accident. “We may alter the case after conducting enquiry with Devaraj.”
