10 injured as unsafe building collapses in Ludhiana
More than 100 labourers were present in their quarters when the adjoining building, which was in a dilapidated condition after last year’s fire, collapsed
At least 10 people, including two children, were injured after a two-storeyed building collapsed in Ludhiana’s Industrial Area on Thursday morning.
Three adjoining buildings, including the one housing more than 150 quarters of labourers, were damaged after the incident at RT Woollen on RK Road.
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Seven of the seriously injured, including a two-year-old child, have been hospitalised.
More than 100 labourers were present in the quarters when the adjoining building, which was in a dilapidated condition, collapsed at 8.45am.
Spread over 2,000 square yards, the building had been declared unsafe after a fire broke out at the unit on May 24 last year.
Despite complaints by the owners of nearby buildings, including Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) councillor Swarandeep Singh Chahal, the municipal corporation (MC) and the owner failed to raze the unsafe structure. The MC had sealed the building on August 5. Chahal had expressed the fear that the unsafe building could collapse during the rainy season.
The owner of adjoining buildings, including former Congress district president Jagmohan Sharma, criticised mayor Balkar Sandhu and the civic body for inaction after the owner allegedly removed the seal and restarted work inside the unsafe building. The labourers said that the remaining part of the unsafe building could collapse any time.
The MC has sealed the main gate of the factory to save its skin after the incident, while no senior MC official visited the spot.
Police from Moti Nagar police station reached the spot and said an FIR is being registered against the owner.