VISAKHAPATNAM: Four workers were today buried alive when a wall at a construction site in the city collapsed on them, police said.
Two site supervisors have so far been taken into custody by police while a probe has been ordered into the accident.
The mishap occurred at around 9.10 AM at the construction site in VIP road area of the city when the parapet wall and loose soil fell on the labourers while they were bending iron rods to lay basement pillar of a commercial complex coming up in Siripuram area, a police officer said.
The victims were at a depth of 20 ft when they got buried under debris of the wall and soil.
The deceased were identified as - A Someswara Rao (28) of Kancharapalem area, K Krishna (40) of Muralinagar, J Ramu (23) from Mandasa in Srikakulam district and Paradesi Patro (32) of Berhampur in Odisha, the officer said.
DCP (Law and Order, Zone-I) M Srinivasulu said the mishap was a result of gross negligence of the builder and as per the reports, the building plan was approved in the name of Chandrakant and two others. The plan was for a commercial complex with cellar, sub-cellar and ground plus four floors.
A police official said the construction at the site was taken up by Sri Venkateswara Construction of Bhanu Prakash and Sitaram.
The concerned persons have been absconding since the incident, police said, adding a case has been registered against the builders under section 304 (A) (causing death by negligence) and other relevant provisions of the IPC.
Meanwhile, two site supervisors have been taken into custody, a police officer said.
State Minister for Panchayati Raj Ch Ayyanna Patrudu and Collector N Yuvraj visited the accident site.
An inquiry has been ordered into the mishap and the probe team will be led by the Collector, the minister said.
The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, state labour department and police officials have been asked to submit their findings soon, he said.
Action will be initiated against the builder and others who are found guilty based on the probe committee's report, he added.