DEHRADUN: Six people were buried alive after a brick kiln collapsed in Lahauli village of Roorkee in Uttarakhand on Tuesday morning. At least 12 labourers and cattle were buried under the debris.
According to the police, the disaster management received information around 6 am about the collapse of a wall with an iron plate at a brick kiln in the Roorkee development block of Narsan.
The squad reached the spot and removed the debris with the help of a JCB machine. As soon as the accident was reported, a huge crowd of onlookers gathered at the spot. Rescue teams have recovered six bodies from the debris while three others are in critical condition. A horse was also killed in the incident.
Senior Superintendent of police Pramendra Dobhal told The New Indian Express, "The labourers were in the midst of their work when the kiln abruptly collapsed, resulting in the workers who were standing near the wall, being engulfed in the debris before anyone could comprehend the situation."
"Six bodies have been pulled out of the debris, while the condition of three labourers is critical and they have been admitted to a hospital," Mangalore Kotwali in-charge Pradeep Bisht said. The deceased were identified as Mukul (28), Sabir (20), Ankit (40), Baburam (50), Jaggi (24) and Sameer. The injured include Ravi and Intezar.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has expressed deep grief over the tragedy. Describing the incident as heart-wrenching, he has directed to give financial assistance of Rs two lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured.
After inspecting the spot, District Magistrate Dheeraj Singh Garbiyal ordered a magisterial inquiry by the Joint Magistrate of Roorkee.