Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, Health Minister Praveen Pansheriya, and Gandhinagar MLA Ritaben Ketanbhai Patel visited Civil Hospital to meet those injured in the slab collapse at the under-construction Bosky The Empire building in the Kudasan area of Gandhinagar.
Health Minister Pansheriya confirmed that 13 people have been admitted to Civil Hospital, none of whom are in critical condition. “When the accident happened in Gandhinagar, Kudasan, laborers were working; 13 people have been admitted here at the Civil Hospital. I am at the hospital myself… No patient out of the 13 is critical; all have been examined. Our team will stay here with the specialist doctor throughout the night. Our team will work here until the rescue operation is complete,” he said.
Gandhinagar Collector and District Magistrate Ravindra Khatale stated that around 15 people were trapped after the slab collapsed. “We immediately rescued everyone and sent them to the Civil Hospital. All 15 are currently stable, and there have been no reports of fatalities. Our SDRF and NDRF teams are currently on-site with plasma cutters and gas cutters, clearing the debris to ensure that no one remains trapped underneath,” he said.
Khatale added that the cutting and debris-clearing operations were expected to be completed within two to three hours. “Our focus so far has been entirely on rescue and rehabilitation. However, tomorrow, the Corporation’s technical team will conduct a detailed investigation into the incident. We currently have SDRF, NDRF, State Police, the Corporation’s fire team, the fire brigade, and medical teams present on-site,” he noted.
Gandhinagar MLA Ritaben Ketankumar Patel reported that approximately 20 workers are normally present at the site, but only 13 were there at the time of the collapse. “Of these, 11 were men, and two were women. They have been admitted to Gandhinagar Civil Hospital. Everyone is currently receiving treatment, and the entire medical team is working tirelessly, almost on a war footing. No one is in critical condition,” she said.
Patel emphasized that the focus was on treatment rather than assigning blame. “We have gathered details about all the patients along with Health Minister Praful Pansheriya. We visited them and inspected the treatment being provided. They are receiving excellent care, and a full team of doctors is dedicated to their treatment… No one’s condition is critical. We are not currently investigating the specifics, such as the identity of the builder or who was at fault. Right now, our priority is to ensure that they receive the best possible medical care and recover fully,” she added.
SDRF Deputy Commandant Sheetal Gujjar said the team arrived within 20 minutes of the incident. “The fire brigade team also arrived shortly afterwards… We pulled out everyone trapped under the debris and rushed them to the hospital… Initially, three to four people were rescued, followed by another four or five who were able to walk out on their own after being extricated from the collapsed slab,” Gujjar said.
She added that 60 SDRF personnel, four to five fire brigade teams, and support from Gujarat Police were involved in the operation. “There have been no casualties so far,” she added.
Gandhinagar SP Ravi Teja Vasamsetty said the accident occurred around 9:30 PM at the Bosky The Empire site. “Everyone has been rescued, and there is currently no suspicion that anyone remains trapped beneath. Of the injured labourers, three have already been discharged. Ten men have minor injuries, while two have sustained more serious injuries: one has a spinal injury, and another has a fracture. Some of the workers are from Dahod, some from Madhya Pradesh, and others from Uttar Pradesh. There are three groups of workers from three different locations, and the contractor brought them in from these places,” he explained.