Gurugram: Little clarity on what triggered flat collapse, search for victims on

A day later as no clarity emerged on what led to the multi-storey cave in at a condominium in Gurugram Sector 109 on Thursday evening, a probe was launched by multiple agencies on Friday even as the rescue effort continued.

The city police, department of town planning and the district administration are conducting the probe into the shocking collapse at Tower D of Chintels Paradise codnominium, resulting in two deaths. So far, different agencies have maintained that heavy repair work was being carried out on the sixth floor apartment, which damaged a concrete slab and it fell down, triggering the collapse up to first floor.

The first team to reach the ground and start the probe on Friday was Scene of Crime team from Forensic Science Laboratory, Madhuban, Karnal, which collected samples of concrete, iron bars, cement and other material that will be checked for strength and quality. Gayatri Singh, assistant director, FSL who led the team, said the samples will be tested on various quality parameters. “The analysis of samples of these materials takes some time. It takes around three months to come out with a report,” she said.

Police officers said the FSL report will play a key role in the investigation, and help ascertain what exactly led to the crash. “The residents have alleged that poor quality material has been used. Forensic testing will reveal exact reasons,” said a police officer, who asked not to be named.

The department of town and country planning (DTCP) said that it has ordered an inquiry into the circumstances that led to the collapse of the structure, and will send a report to the headquarters in Chandigarh within two days. DTCP officials said that initial findings suggest that heavy repair work was being carried out on the floor of the sixth floor apartment that led to the collapse.

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RS Bhath, district town planner, said they have been asked to analyse the structure audit report submitted by the developer, and submit the findings. “The structural engineer who has submitted the report will also be identified and a detailed report will be submitted to the headquarters for further action. The structural audit certificate of any project is submitted by the builder after getting an audit done by a recognised structural engineer or consultant. The department depends on the certificate issued by the expert, and we have little control over this matter,” he said.

Gurugram district administration has also initiated a probe in this matter, which will be conducted by additional deputy commissioner Vishram Kumar Meena, the district administration said late on Thursday evening.

Nishant Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner, Gururgam, who visited the spot on Thursday night assured the residents that detailed investigation will be conducted to find the reasons behind the collapse, and fix accountability. “Preliminary probe has revealed that renovation work has led to the collapse and our teams are yet to submit a report following which exact reason will be ascertained,” said Yadav.

The Gurugram police also said that there was renovation work going on 6th and 7th floor which led to the collapse. “Initial probe has suggested that the floor could not take the load due to the weak structural strength and the ceiling of sixth floor collapsed. What exact renovation work was going on it is yet to be ascertained. Our teams are conducting investigation,” said KK Rao, Gurugram police commissioner.

Deepak Kapoor, resident of D-603, the flat where the ceiling collapse led to the accident, said that he took possession two years ago from the developer, and he is based in Bangalore. “The developer was yet to finish interior work, and some work on the floor was being done. After repeated emails and communications with the developer, they agreed in January-end to start the pending work and on February 6, they started the work. The labourers were working in my apartment. Some work was also going on at the seventh floor, and the ceiling of my flat collapsed,” he said.