A major disaster struck Ambala City in Haryana when a three-storey building under construction in the Dhulkot area suddenly collapsed, resulting in the deaths of five workers and injuries to twelve others. A total of seventeen workers were trapped under the debris following the cave-in, prompting swift rescue operations by teams from the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force.
Chief Medical Officer Renu Panjani of Ambala stated that the injured workers were rushed immediately to the Civil Hospital in Ambala City. Following initial treatment, seven workers were discharged, while five others remain admitted and are receiving ongoing medical care. Four workers were brought in dead, and their bodies were shifted to the mortuary. The hospital administration assured that their entire team is on high alert to handle any further incoming casualties.
Upon receiving news of the incident, Superintendent of Police Ajit Singh Shekhawat rushed to the site to assess the situation. Addressing the media, the SP confirmed that rescue personnel worked continuously to extract survivors from the rubble while the district administration mobilized all resources to ensure no one was left behind.
The deceased workers have been identified as mistri Rajendra (50) from Jalbera, Shastri (50) from Garnala, Kalia (50) from Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh, and Roop Singh (55) from village Dangdera in Lalru, Punjab. Additionally, at 11:30 PM, the body of Malkit Singh (55) was also recovered; he was a former soldier from village Dangdera in Lalru, Punjab, who was working as the site supervisor.
Superintendent of Police Ajit Singh Shekhawat reiterated that once the rescue operations concluded, comprehensive investigations would be launched regarding the building owner and other operational details. He emphasized that strict legal action will be taken due to the casualties and injuries, regardless of whether the structure was entirely illegal or built with gross negligence. He noted that most of the laborers working at the site hailed from Jandli and surrounding areas.
The twelve injured workers include Siaram from Gonda in Uttar Pradesh, Satish from Purnia in Bihar, Balinder from Dhurkheda originally from Jind, Fullo Kumar from Lakhisarai in Bihar, Ashok from Sethi Enclave in Ambala City, Ved Prakash from Garnala, two brothers Brijesh and Rajesh from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, Mantosh from village Gowala in Sheikhpura district of Patna, Bihar, Ramgopal from village Niranjandpur in Ayodhya district of Uttar Pradesh, Rajesh from Mohammadpur in Lucknow, Rupesh Kumar from Purnia in Bihar, along with mistri Ved Prakash and another injured worker.
Reports indicate that on Sunday, concrete roofing was being laid on the third floor of the building. During this process, the slabs of the second floor and subsequently the first floor caved in. The structure was being erected illegally without any sanctioned building map. Spanning twelve hundred gaz, all three floors of the building were built upon excessively thin four-inch walls.
