Bengaluru: 2 die in building collapse

Bengaluru: In a tragic incident, two construction workers were buried alive when a portion of an under-construction multi-level car parking building collapsed in Yeshwanthpur early Friday.

Eight labourers, including five who got trapped in the rubble, were rescued and rushed to K.C. General and Kanva hospitals for treatment.

The two-storey building was being illegally constructed at the RMC Yard.

The tragedy happened around 4 am when a portion of a slab on second floor fell on the workers, who were sleeping on the second floor.

According to the police, the two deceased workers have been identified as Rahul Kumar from West Bengal and Rajesh from Bihar.

Fire and emergency personnel, along with the jurisdictional RMC Yard police, rushed to the spot and rescued the workers.

The police said that about 70 labourers were working at the site. Out of this 12 were from Bihar, Rajasthan and Assam and they were staying in the building itself.

While eight sustained injuries in the incident, two workers escaped unhurt, the police said.

The RMC Yard police have arrested Uma Shankar, the engineer and builder Chandranna.

No licence taken

The building was being constructed illegally and the contractors had not obtained construction licence. The labour department had in January filed a case against the contractor in this regard.

Revanna, Assistant Commissioner, Labour Department, told media persons that they had issued at least five notices, asking the contractor to appear before the commission. The notices went unanswered, following which the department approached the court seeking a stay on the construction work, he said.