Ghaziabad (UP) | Two men, including a contractor, were killed and eight injured after the roof of an under-construction building collapsed in the Roop Nagar industrial area in Loni, a few kilometres from Delhi, police said on Sunday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Ravi Kumar said 10 persons were pulled out from the debris. Two of them were declared dead and eight are injured.
The rescue operation, which was aided by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), continued till late in the night with officials trying to ensure that no one remained trapped under the debris.
The police have identified the victims as Sameer Ahmed and Rajesh.
The injured labourers have been identified as Kamlesh, Balkrishna Ravidas, Mangesh, Anil, Sunny Ravidas, Sanjeev, Sohail Ahmed and Prakash. The condition of two of them is stated to be critical.
The injured labourers are undergoing treatment at GTB Hospital.
For the family of Ahmed, the project's contractor, the tragedy comes barely a month after his children's weddings in January, his nephew Sarfaraz said.
"My uncle was the contractor. He was involved in constructing the walls while the scaffolding was done by another contractor.
"He died after getting trapped under the scaffolding. His son Sohail has also been injured," he said.
Ahmed is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.
"His elder son and a daughter got married in January. They live in Loni's Prem Nagar area," Sarfaraz said.
Sohail Ahmed (20) said, "I was standing on the scaffolding when it collapsed and my father was trapped under it. I suffered injuries on my legs. The site owner, who was present there at the time, was also injured.
"There were 10-12 people present when the accident occurred. I have heard that they were all removed from the debris." The other injured labourers mostly hail from Jharkhand and came here to ensure a better life for their families.
At GTB Hospital, they narrated how news of the accident caused their families to panic about their safety.
Sunny Ravidas (35), a labourer from Jharkhand, said he had been working at the site for the past 10-12 days.
"I came to Loni earlier this month from my village. I was trapped under the debris before being rescued. I suffered an injury on my back.
Asked if his wife and three children, who still live in their native village, know about the accident, he said, "I have spoken to them. They are very worried but I assured them that there is no need for concern," he said.
Gulsagar Ravidas, another Jharkhand native, came to the hospital to help the labourers admitted there. He works at a nearby site and hails from the same village as many of those injured.
"I was at my workplace when I heard about the incident. We belong to same village and work at the Roop Nagar industrial area.
"We reached GTB Hospital after the injured were admitted here. We have been here since then to help them get treatment," he said.
The police had initially feared 15-16 people were trapped under the debris.
Local residents said the labourers were working on a construction site owned by one Madan Lal Sharma.
Ravi Kumar, a municipal employee, said, "The incident took place around 2.45 pm. Four people were pulled out from the debris by local residents and rushed to the hospital.
"The labourers who work at the site all live in nearby areas."
