A tragic incident unfolded in the Rabupura area of Greater Noida on Wednesday when an illegally constructed three-story building in Nagla Hukum Singh village suddenly collapsed. The devastating accident resulted in the death of four laborers, with several others sustaining serious injuries. Approximately ten laborers were working on the building at the time of the collapse, which occurred while the shuttering of the third floor's lintel was being removed. The entire structure crumbled from bottom to top within a matter of seconds. Police and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams worked tirelessly late into the night, extracting laborers trapped under the debris. One laborer is still reported missing, and search efforts are ongoing.
The Catastrophic Collapse
The unfortunate incident took place around 10:30 AM on Wednesday morning. The three-story building was being constructed without any necessary approvals on the land. Belonging to Mahavir Singh, son of Raghunath Singh, in Nagla Hukum Singh village. On the day of the accident, work was underway to remove the lintel shuttering of the third floor, while as the process of opening the shuttering began, the building's stability was compromised, and it collapsed like a house of cards in mere seconds. Villagers from the vicinity, hearing the loud crash, immediately rushed to the scene. They witnessed a massive pile of debris and realized that many people could be trapped inside. However, due to the sheer volume of heavy debris, the villagers were unable to initiate rescue operations themselves.
Immediate Response and Rescue Operations
Upon receiving information about the incident, the Rabupura police station personnel promptly arrived at the site to assess the situation. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, two teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were immediately called in for the rescue operation. Senior officials, including NDRF Deputy Commandant Kuber Sharma, SDM Jewar Abhay Kumar, ADCP Sudhir Singh, ACP Sarthak Sengar, and Rabupura Kotwali SHO Sujeet Kumar Upadhyay, reached the spot and supervised the rescue efforts. The teams utilized specialized equipment to clear the debris and reach the trapped laborers. Rescue operations continued late into the night, with every possible effort being made to ensure no individual remained buried under the rubble.
Identification of Casualties and Injured
The tragic accident claimed the lives of several laborers and left many injured. Zeeshan, a 22-year-old resident of Rawalpatti Nai Basti, Jewar, was pulled from the debris in critical condition and immediately rushed to the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries during treatment. On top of that, several other laborers, including Danish (21) from Aligarh, Fardeen (18), Shakeel (38), Kamil (20), and Nadeem (30), were successfully rescued from the debris. All the injured have been admitted to Kailash Hospital in Jewar, where they're currently receiving treatment. According to doctors, the condition of some of the injured remains critical, and they're under intensive medical observation.
Illegal Construction and Public Outcry
The building was being constructed without any government permission on Mahavir Singh's land, which further exacerbates the seriousness of this accident. The disregard for safety standards due to illegal construction likely contributed to this tragedy. During the rescue operations, relatives of some laborers and local villagers gathered at the site, while agitated by the condition of their loved ones, they attempted to break through the rescue site's gate. The police struggled to control the situation and keep the crowd at bay to prevent any hindrance to the relief efforts. An atmosphere of tension and unease prevails in the area following the incident.
Jewar MLA's Visit and Directives for Expedited Relief
Upon hearing the news of the accident, the MLA from Jewar also arrived at the scene. He met with the affected families and offered his condolences. The MLA appealed to the public to maintain calm and instructed officials. To expedite the relief work and rescue those trapped as quickly as possible. He also emphasized ensuring that the injured receive the best possible medical care. The MLA's visit provided some solace to the local residents and affected families, but serious questions regarding the severity of the incident and the issue of illegal construction still remain.
Lucky Escapes and Ongoing Search for Missing
In this horrific accident, some laborers were also fortunate. Five laborers from Lalitpur, who were working near the shuttering at the time of the incident, managed to escape from the debris with minor injuries, while immediately after the accident, they left the scene. Police are now searching for them to record their statements and gather more information about the incident. Meanwhile, rescue teams are still searching for one missing laborer, who is feared to be trapped under the rubble, while this incident raises serious questions about the need to curb illegal constructions and ensure adherence to safety standards.
