As many as 17 workers were rescued, five of them with head injuries, when a shed of a hospital under-construction collapsed near Taramani on July 21 night.
It’s still not clear whether anyone is trapped inside the debris. Launching the rescue operations, Kancheepuram Collector C. Ponnaiah said, “We were told that usually 20 persons work in this place. We have rescued 17. We are not sure if three workers are still trapped below the debris or not.”
Ten of the injured were brought to the Government Hospital at Royapettah. The remaining are being treated at a private hospital on OMR and Saidapet GH. They are referred to the government hospital after their condition is stabilised.
Construction of a four-storey building was in full swing at the site in Kandanchavadi near Taramani. Initial reports suggested that the pillar and scaffolding of the construction came down on the workers on site.
According to sources, a Coimbatore-based hospital was building its facility in the city. Around 7 p.m., a part of the scaffolding structure came down on the workers in the night shift. Reports indicated that the debris fell on the workers shed and three houses adjoining the site on a narrow road.
Rescue work is under way at the site of a building collapse at Taramani in Chennai on July 21, 2018. | Photo Credit: Shaju John
Soon, police, fire and rescue services personnel were at the spot but rescue operations were hampered as there was no electricity around the site. Ambulances started arriving one by one and ferried out the injured workers rescued by the teams to a corporate hospital on Old Mahabalipuram Road.
Four fire engines and two earth movers were also pressed into service to remove the debris and search the site thoroughly to ensure no worker was trapped inside the debris.
Two hours after rescue operations began, Mr. Ponnaiah told reporters that the shed adjoining the main hospital building had collapsed. The shed was being constructed with iron girders with minimum concrete.
He did not disclose the name of the hospital or the name of the builder and if proper approvals had been obtained. “Usually, 20 persons worked on the site. We have rescued 17. Five of the workers have minor head injuries. We are still searching for three persons. We are not sure if they are trapped or had left the site [before the shed collapsed],” he said excusing himself to lead the rescue operations.
(With inputs from Aloysius Xavier Lopez and Serena Josephine M.)