2 die, many trapped as building collapses in Hatkoti

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 17

Two persons were killed and several others feared trapped under debris when a three-storey building collapsed along the Hatkoti-Kanchi road in Saraswati Nagar near Rohru this afternoon.

Five persons were taken out from the debris and the rescue operation was still on, said a police official.

Two more persons have been spotted at the site. The death toll is expected to rise.

The deceased have been identified as Nishu (23), a resident of Virat Nagar (Hatkoti), and Anshuman, a resident of Jubbal. “Two out of the five rescued persons were admitted to the Primary Health Centre (PHC), Saraswati Nagar, while the others were rushed to the Community Health Centre (CHC), Rohru,” Shimla Deputy Commissioner Rohan Chand Thakur said.

There were more than 12 persons in the building owned by former pradhan of Saraswati Nagar Joginder Singh. It housed a pesticide shop, a hardware shop, a tea stall and a hotel. Some vehicles parked along the building were also buried under the debris.

Sources said the hardware shop owner closed the shop around 1.30 pm, just an hour before the mishap, while the tea stall and pesticide shop owners ran out just in time.

Joginder has witnessed the second such tragedy in recent years as one of his houses was gutted three years ago. The hardware shop and the hotel were closed, but there were people sitting in the pesticide shop.

He said heavy rain led to the collapse, adding that the gushing water swept away commuters and vehicles on the adjoining road.

“Police personnel and firemen, along with locals, are carrying out the rescue operation,” said Rohru SDM YPS Verma, who was on the spot. “I have requested the Deputy Commissioner to call the NDRF and as per information, a team of 19 personnel has been dispatched from Sunni,” Verma said.

The district administration has announced a relief of Rs 25,000 for the kin of the deceased.