A 45-year-old construction worker lost his life on Thursday afternoon after bricks dislodged by a severe dust storm fell on his head at a residential project in Greater Noida. The incident took place around 3 pm at Hemisphere Society near Delta-1.
The victim, identified as Ranjit Mandal, a resident of Hasan Ganj in Bihar's Munger district, was working on the third floor alongside his son when strong winds caused a section of bricks from a wall under construction on the floor above to break loose. The falling bricks struck Mandal on the head, causing critical injuries.
Fellow workers immediately rushed Mandal to a nearby private hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment.
Surajpur Station House Officer (SHO) Vinod Kumar stated that preliminary investigations suggest the death was accidental. "Further action will be taken after the autopsy report is received. No written complaint has been submitted by the family so far," he added.
Other workers at the site questioned the safety standards being followed at the project, expressing concerns over inadequate protective measures against such hazards.
Widespread Damage Across Noida and Ghaziabad
The severe storm and thundershowers wreaked havoc across Noida, uprooting several power poles, trees, and billboards. In Sectors 16 and 49, trees collapsed onto parked cars, while in Sector 2, a metal fence fell on vehicles nearby. The dust storm plunged the city into darkness in the afternoon, forcing vehicles to halt mid-road.
In neighboring Ghaziabad, a falling tree damaged a 33 KV line near the Nehru Nagar substation and struck a vehicle. Additionally, a power pole collapsed in Chiranjiv Vihar, disrupting electricity supply in the area.
Authorities are assessing the damage and working to restore normalcy. The incident highlights the vulnerability of construction workers to extreme weather events and underscores the need for stricter safety protocols at building sites.
