Ghaziabad: Two workers lost their lives and another sustained injuries after a mound of excavated soil collapsed on them while they were engaged in foundation work for a school building in Ghaziabad's Suncity area. The tragic incident occurred around 12:30 pm on Tuesday at the construction site of Nehru World School.
Rescue Efforts and Fatalities
Bystanders and fellow workers immediately mobilized an earthmover and shovels to extricate the trapped men. Despite their efforts, two of the workers succumbed to their injuries at the hospital. The third worker remains in critical condition.
School Management Unaware
A spokesperson for the school revealed that the management was unaware of the incident until Wednesday, as the contractor failed to inform them. The police were alerted by the hospital late Tuesday night.
Victims Identified
The deceased have been identified as Suraj Chauhan, 25, and Ramji Shah, 45, both hailing from Janjgir in Chhattisgarh. The injured worker, Omprakash, 35, is a native of Basaunda Bazaar in the same state.
Police Investigation
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Dhawal Jaiswal stated that a team was dispatched to the hospital upon receiving the information. He explained, "Workers had piled up a large mound of soil from the digging. As they continued excavating, the mound suddenly gave way and buried all three men." The police have taken possession of the bodies, which have been sent for postmortem examination, and the families of the deceased have been notified.
A senior police officer indicated that authorities are examining whether proper safety protocols were followed at the site. As of now, no case has been registered.
Second Incident: Building Collapse in Ankur Vihar
In a separate incident on Tuesday, three people, including an 11-year-old girl, were injured when a portion of a two-storey building collapsed in the Ankur Vihar area. The collapse occurred due to excavation work on an adjacent plot that destabilized the structure.
Injured Individuals
The injured have been identified as Sanjay Kumar, a daily-wage labourer, his wife Chanchal, and their daughter Nisha, 11. The family had been renting a room in the building for several years.
Building Ownership and Excavation
The building belongs to Ashok Kumar, a resident of Ghitora near Sharad City Colony, who had rented out six rooms to approximately 25 people, mostly labourers and their families. According to a senior police officer, a vacant plot adjoining Ashok's building was purchased around two months ago by Pritam, a Ghaziabad resident. On Tuesday afternoon, Pritam was getting the plot's foundation excavated using a JCB machine. The digging caused the wall of the two-storey structure to give way, burying Sanjay and his family under debris.
Rescue and Medical Condition
Locals pulled Sanjay and Chanchal out of the rubble first. After Sanjay informed bystanders that his daughter was also trapped, a search began immediately, and Nisha was retrieved within approximately 15 minutes. All three were taken to a private hospital and are reported to be in stable condition.
No Complaint Filed
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari stated that neither the affected family nor the house owner had filed a formal complaint in the matter.
