The injured persons were identified as Vijayababu (56) from Kumarapalayam in Namakkal, Palaniappan (60) from Mayilambadi in Bhavani, Ramayammal (70) from Uthukuli in Tirupur, Sudhakar (28) from Erode and Senthil Kumar (40) from Pollachi. 

Police said the injured were fast asleep on the concrete surface near the two floored main building of the hospital. The sun shade collapsed and fell on them at 3 am. As the sun shade of the old building remained weak, the public were in fact barred from reaching close to the building. 

Though a fence has been raised to prevent people from nearing the spot, visitors used to cross it over to rest particularly during nights. Relatives of the patients undergoing treatment usually sleep around the premises.

 

The 800 bedded hospital was built in 1960s and had been catering to people from Erode, Tirupur and Namakkal districts. As the concrete slab collapsed, the victims, who were fast asleep woke up crying in pain. They suffered bleeding and were rushed to emergency ward of the hospital.

 

Of them, Vijayababu was administered first aid and then shifted to Salem Government Hospital for further treatment. Two other women Palaniammal and Ramayammal were treated in Erode GH, while Sudhakar and Senthil Kumar were discharged after treatment from the hospital. The Erode police are investigating.