MP: ‘Kaal’ 4 storey building built in Anuppur! 2 killed in Agarwal Lodge collapse, many still buried under debris; Rescue continues

Anuppur: A heart-wrenching incident has come to light from Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh. Late night on Saturday (April 4), a four-storey building named ‘Agarwal Lodge’ located near the bus stand of Kotma town collapsed like a house of cards. So far, two people have been confirmed dead in this horrific accident, while about 7 to 10 people are still feared buried under the debris. According to eyewitnesses, when the building collapsed, there was a loud bang-like sound and a cloud of dust spread over the entire area, causing panic among the passengers and local people present there. The explosion-like sound and then a pile of debris. The accident happened at night when there was movement of passengers at the bus stand. Due to the sudden collapse of Aggarwal Lodge, no one got a chance to recover. As soon as the information was received, local police and administration teams reached the spot. Anuppur SP Moti-ur-Rehman said that so far five people have been pulled out from the debris, out of which two have been declared dead. The other three injured are undergoing treatment in the hospital. The rescue operation is going on a war footing to search for the people buried under the debris. NDRF-SDRF and mining experts are handling the front. Seeing the seriousness of the accident, the administration has put all its strength in the relief work. NDRF and SDRF teams are deployed at the spot. Apart from this, expert rescue teams from SECL’s Jamuna Kotma unit and coal mining company JMS have also been called in to clear the heavy debris and rescue the trapped people. The debris is being removed through modern machines and the district hospitals of Kotma and Anuppur have been put on high alert. Chief Minister expressed grief, gave instructions for investigation. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has described this incident as extremely sad and painful. He informed through social media that the administration has been instructed to leave no stone unturned in relief and rescue work. The Chief Minister has asked Minister in-charge Dilip Jaiswal to immediately reach the spot and ensure arrangements for proper treatment of the injured. He expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and wished for the speedy recovery of the injured. Why did the 10 year old building collapse? Preliminary investigation is still going on regarding the reasons for the collapse of the building. According to the SP, this lodge was about 10 years old. It is feared that the ongoing construction work on the plot near the lodge could be a major reason for this accident. The foundation of the old building may have been weakened by vibration from digging or heavy machinery. However, Anuppur District Magistrate Harshal Pancholi has said that the entire matter is being investigated in depth and strict action will be taken against the culprits. At present, the entire focus of the administration is on saving the lives buried under the debris.