In a tragic incident following incessant rains, seven bodies were recovered from the debris of a collapsed six-storey building in Surat, officials reported on Sunday. The residential building, consisting of 30 apartments, was illegally constructed in Sachin Pali village and mostly unoccupied. Only five of the flats were rented out at ₹1,200 per month.
Chief Fire Officer Basant Pareek informed ANI that the search operation continued throughout the night, with the seventh body being retrieved at 6 am, marking the end of the rescue efforts.
On Saturday, a woman was rescued from the wreckage, and 15 others sustained injuries when the building collapsed around 2.45 pm, according to officials.
Rescuers from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) labored through the night, cutting through concrete slabs to reach trapped residents beneath the rubble.
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Constructed in 2017, the building housed five families at the time of the collapse. Many residents were at work, but several night-shift workers were asleep inside when the incident occurred, police said.
The sudden collapse created chaos on Saturday, prompting locals to rush to the scene to assist in rescuing those trapped. Despite being only eight years old, most of the flats were vacant and in poor condition, officials noted.
“Around five flats were occupied, mainly by factory workers in the area. During the rescue operation, we heard cries from those trapped inside. We managed to rescue a woman and sent her to the hospital,” said Surat Commissioner of Police, Anupam Gehlot.
Initially, the senior police officer had indicated that 6-7 individuals were believed to be trapped under the debris, and rescue operations were underway to free them. “We can hear their voices from inside the rubble. They will be rescued soon,” he assured earlier.
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