House collapses in Gomtinagar, one hurt

LUCKNOW: An under-construction two-storey house in Viram Khand Sector-5, Gomtinagar caved in on Thursday afternoon causing panic in the area. The collapse around 2.45pm led to fire in the adjacent house due to short circuit as the debris of collapsed house fell on power lines.
The four labourers living in the building ran out when it started shaking and escaped unhurt. However, a 90-year-old woman, in the adjacent house could not escape and suffered injuries. No casualty was reported.

The thud caused by the collapse and the vibrations it caused led to panic among residents who rushed out in fear of their homes suspecting it to be an earthquake. Girls living in a hostel being run in the building behind the one that collapsed got frightened and ran out screaming.

“Heavy slabs started falling on road all of a sudden after a loud creaking sound. The entire structure came down in no time,” said Vikas Srivastava who lives nearby and was returning home for lunch. The debris fell on power lines which caused a short circuit in adjacent house owned by Dr B L Rastogi of Balrampur hospital, igniting a fire which spread to the office of a construction company in the house. The 10 employees of the office rushed out unhurt. Rastogi’s daughter Jhata and elderly relative Shankuntala Devi (90) were on the first floor of the house when the fire broke out. As smoke filled the house, Jhata ran out in a hurry and forgot about Shakuntala. She rushed back after realising her mistake and found that Shakuntala had fallen on the staircase and suffered injuries.Locals called police and fire department. The firemen went inside and rescued Shakuntala who was admitted to a hospital.

CO Gomtinagar Avnishwar Chand Srivastava said that the collapsed house is owned by one Ashok Pandey, a BJP office-bearer. The building had been declared illegal and a notice for its demolition had been issued by LDA, he said.

Chief fire officer Vijay Kumar Singh said the fire was douses in 15 minutes. “That computers and furniture in Rastogi’s house and construction firm office were gutted. The immediate cause of fire was short-circuit caused by collapse of adjacent building,” added Singh.

Police informed senior officials about the incident and SDRF men were rushed to the spot for carrying out rescue operations as it was suspected that several persons were trapped under the rubble.

The owner of collapsed buiulding Ashok Pandey, who lives in Vijay Khand, rushed to the spot and claimed that locals informed him that they had heard the sound of a blast which had triggered the collapse. He said that no construction activity was going on in the house which was lying closed for last two years.

LDA secretary MP Singh said an order to demolish the building was passed in May 2016. Police said the house was not in good condition but it had a shop selling batteries.