KOTTAYAM: A major tragedy was averted when a portion of a building at the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) in Kottayam in Kerala collapsed on Thursday.
According to primary reports, at least three persons sustained minor injuries in the incident. They were immediately rescued by the people at the scene.
According to hospital authorities, the collapsed section was part of the old and disused bathroom complex attached to the 14th ward (Orthopaedics department) of the hospital. The Gandhinagar police and the Fire and Rescue Services rushed to the spot and initiated a search operation.
Health Minister Veena George and Minister V N Vasavan visited the spot and assessed the situation. Both ministers said the building was not in use and had become a dumping area for waste.
However, eyewitnesses at the scene said that the bathrooms were still operational and had been used by patients and bystanders arriving at the 14th ward.
Rajan Khobragade, Additional Chief Secretary of the Health department, arrived at the site. The authorities evacuated patients and bystanders at ward 10, 11 and 14 following the accident.
The incident sparked widespread protests from Opposition parties, highlighting ongoing concerns regarding the conditions of facilities at the government medical colleges and structural integrity of the buildings there.
UDF leaders, including Chandy Oommen MLA visited the site and raised alarms about the building's usage. “Fortunately, only a few individuals were present in the building at the time of the collapse. It is imperative that the adjacent building be evacuated to prevent any further disasters,” he said.