Century-old building collapses in Kapurthala, power supply disrupted

A 100-year-old abandoned building collapsed in the early hours of Wednesday at the old vegetable market in the city, causing damage to power lines and disrupting electricity supply across the area. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in the incident.

According to local sources, the incident occurred around 2.30 am when the dilapidated structure suddenly crumbled, sending debris crashing down onto nearby electricity poles. Several poles were damaged in the incident, plunging the surrounding locality into darkness.

Residents living nearby were startled by the loud sound of the building collapse and rushed out of their homes. “It was a deafening noise. We thought something massive had fallen,” said a local shopkeeper.

Eyewitnesses revealed that the building had been unoccupied for the past eight to nine years. It once housed a popular eatery known locally as “Bali Samosa Wala”, which was shut down after the owner passed away. Since then, the structure had remained unused and visibly deteriorated over the time.

Heavy rainfall in Kapurthala over the past two days is believed to have weakened the already fragile building, leading to its eventual collapse.

The authorities from Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) were alerted immediately. Restoration work is currently underway, with teams on-site working to remove the rubble and restore power to the affected areas. The incident occurred at night when the market was empty. It helped averting in what could have been a major tragedy. During the day, the vegetable market witnesses significant footfall.