Ghaziabad building collapse toll rose to five

GHAZIABAD: The toll in the collapse of a five-storey building under construction here rose to five Sunday, officials said. The condition of 16 injured labourers is critical.

The disaster happened Saturday afternoon when the building tumbled down in Shalimar Garden area, trapping several workers and killing three.

Two bodies were recovered Saturday itself, while the third was pulled out pulled out from under the debris Sunday afternoon, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officer Gopi Chand said.

Two persons succumbed to their injuries Sunday.

Rescuers -- including residents, fire brigade, police personnel and soldiers -- worked frantically to rescue those tripped under tons of concrete, witnesses said.

Superintendent of Police City J.K. Sahi said soldiers were summoned from Meerut. The NDRF personnel and personnel from the Indian Air Force station at Hindon in the region were also helping, he said.

Five cranes were deployed to remove tonnes of concrete. Four people -- the building's contractor Kishan Singh and three employees of a construction firm -- have been arrested.

A total of 16 workers are still struggling for their lives in various hospitals in Delhi and Ghaziabad.

"The entire building has fallen," said Vinod, an eyewitness.

The building was being constructed on an 800 square metre plot. Three cars, parked in its vicinity, were also destroyed.