A 10-year-old boy was killed and three others, including two young women, were left severely injured when a portion of an a three-storeyed building in Nithari village, Sector 31 of Noida, collapsed on Monday evening, burying passersby under debris in the street below. The incident took place around 4.30pm.

While the deceased was identified as Luv Subba of Darjeeling, the injured were identified as Sonali and Barkha, both 18- years- old, and 12-year-old Shakeel.

The owner of the house has been identified as Vijendra Awana. According to local residents, the building, which is popularly called the ‘90 quarters’, was being pulled down for renovation for the past two months. Locals said the building was being demolished to make way for a new one and the incident occurred when a part of the second storey collapsed and fell on the canopy of the first floor.

“That is when the canopy collapsed and its debris fell on the street and the passersby got trapped under the debris,” Omwati, a woman who lives in the neighbourhood, said, adding that the street is among the busiest in the area.

Recalling the chaos that followed the collapse, Omwati, said, “I was inside my house when, all of a sudden, the power went out and then there was a deafening noise. When I peeped out the window, I saw people running around in panic and a mound of debris in the street.”

The locals immediately alerted the police and the rescue work started soon after. According to the police, four bodies were pulled out from under the rubble—two girls and two boys. Police officials said the debris is being removed, though it doesn’t seem that anyone else would be trapped inside.

“A three storey building has collapsed in Sector 31, Nithari, under police station Sector 20. Three people are injured, one child has died. The injured have been admitted to a hospital. The debris is being cleared and the situation is under control. The incident will be investigated thoroughly,” Noida senior superintendent of police Vaibhav Krishna said.

The boys were taken to the district hospital where 12-year-old Shakeel was discharged after being administered first aid. But 10-year-old Luv Subba, a native of Darjeeling, succumbed to his injuries.

The two severely injured 18-year-old girls were taken to the Noida Medical Centre (NMC) where they are currently receiving medical treatment.

“They are stable for now, but are severely injured. Sonali has fractured her left femur, right tibia and right foot. Barkha has four pelvic fractures; she may also have a spinal injury. We are still waiting for the results of the spinal CT scan,” NMC medical director S Siddiqui said.

The top cop also said an FIR will be registered based on the complaint lodged by the family of the deceased. “Based on the complaint, a case will be registered against the owner of the building and the contractor, after which due action will be taken,” Sector 20 station house officer Manoj Kumar Pant said.

City magistrate Shailendra Mishra also promised compensation the family of the deceased.

In a separate incident, the foreman of a project was killed in Sector 63 at an under-construction site. The deceased, identified as Mustaq Ali, was taken to a private hospital in Sector 65, from where he was referred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi. He was declared brought dead at Safdarjung Hospital. The police said the foreman was overseeing the construction of the building’s foundation when he slipped and fell on an iron rod that pierced through his body.

Rescue work was carried out by the local police and a unit of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF). According to an NDRF official, the rescue operation ended at 10.10pm.

First Published: Jan 15, 2019 09:03 IST