4 dead, 9 injured after under-construction structure collapses in Haryana's Ambala

At least four labourers were killed and nine others injured after a three-storey under-construction building collapsed in the Dhulkot area of Ambala city on Sunday afternoon.

The deceased have been identified as Kalia Ram, 48, a resident of Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh; Roop Singh, 55, of Dangdera village in Lalru, Punjab; Rajinder Kumar, 50, of Sonta village in Ambala district; and Shastri Ram, 50, from Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh.

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According to the police, the incident occurred on Sunday afternoon while the lintel was being laid on the third floor of the building, and 35 to 40 labourers were reportedly working at the site when the structure suddenly gave way, trapping several workers under the debris.

Local residents immediately rushed to the spot and joined the rescue efforts. Thirteen workers were pulled out of the debris and taken to the civil hospital in Ambala city, where doctors declared four of them dead.

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The nine injured workers undergoing treatment at the civil hospital were identified as Ashok Kumar, 50; Ved Prakash, 53; Brijesh, 22; Rupesh, 28; Phoolan Kumar, 27; Rajesh Kumar, 40; Mantosh Singh, 42; Ram Gopal, 28; and another Rajesh Kumar, 25.

Soon after receiving the information, the administration rushed heavy earth-movers and ambulances to the site, while police teams reached the spot upon being alerted. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel were also deployed to assist in the rescue operation.

Rescue and debris-removal operations were continuing late into the evening, with officials fearing that more labourers could still be trapped underneath the rubble.

On being contacted, Ambala superintendent of police (SP) Ajit Singh Shekhawat told HT that four people died in the building collapse and the rescue operation is going on.

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He said that the circumstances leading to the collapse were yet to be ascertained.

Police officials involved in the investigation said it was also not immediately clear whether the building's construction had been approved by the relevant authorities.

Ambala deputy commissioner Sachin Gupta said the rescue teams had been called and four people had died. The injured have been admitted to the hospital.

Regarding action against the building owner, he said the Ambala SP is investigating the case, all details are being collected, and action will be taken accordingly, even if any negligence on the part of any official is found.