MATHURA: Three workers, including a Nepali national, were killed and several injured when the shuttering of a multi-storey building where construction was underway collapsed in Vrindavan here on Friday, police said.
Shuttering is a temporary support structure used to hold wet concrete in place until it hardens and gains enough strength to support itself.
The incident occurred around 7 am at the Omaxe Mall construction site in the Rukmani Vihar area under the Vrindavan Kotwali police station limits when workers were pouring concrete for a projecting slab on the fourth floor, Omaxe General Manager R K Jain said.
Several workers were trapped under the debris after the shuttering collapsed, triggering panic at the site. Police and fire brigade personnel, with the help of locals, launched a rescue operation and pulled out the injured workers before shifting them to different hospitals.
One of the deceased, identified as Shivram (42), a Nepali national, died on the spot. Two other workers, whose identities are yet to be ascertained, succumbed to their injuries during treatment at the district hospital, police said.
Dr Bhudev Prasad, in-charge of the Rapid Response Team of the Chief Medical Officer's (CMO) office, said the two unidentified deceased workers were aged around 35-40.
Another worker, Dildar Singh (40), a resident of West Bengal, was admitted to a hospital in Vrindavan in critical condition, he said.
Several other workers are undergoing treatment at different hospitals.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shlok Kumar said three deaths have been confirmed so far. While one of the deceased was a Nepali national, the other two were from West Bengal.
The fire brigade thoroughly searched the site and confirmed that no one else is trapped under the debris, he said.
Police are probing the incident and trying to ascertain the cause of the collapse.
District Magistrate (DM) Chandra Prakash Singh and SSP Kumar visited the spot and directed officials to complete the relief and rescue operation at the earliest.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken cognisance of the incident and assured all possible assistance to the affected families. He directed the district administration to provide necessary support and ensure proper treatment of the injured, Singh said.
According to the DM, prima facie it appeared there was some issue with the shuttering work. Legal action would be taken based on complaints from the victims' families.
Omaxe General Manager Jain, who was also present at the spot, assured of all possible assistance to the victims' families.