KOTTAYAM: A 52-year-old woman died and two others were injured when a portion of a decades-old and dilapidated building at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kottayam, collapsed on Thursday. The death of D Bindu, who was trapped under the debris for more than two hours, has sparked allegations of delay in rescue operations.
The incident has triggered widespread outrage, with Opposition parties alleging negligence on the part of Health Minister Veena George and Cooperation Minister V N Vasavan — who arrived at the hospital shortly after the incident — as well as the hospital authorities in carrying out timely rescue operations. The rescue efforts were reportedly delayed as the ministers told the media that the building was not in use.
Bindu, a native of Thalayolaparambu in Kottayam, was at the hospital for the treatment of her daughter. Aleena Vincent, 13, a native of Wayanad, escaped with minor injuries, while Amal Pradeep, an employee at the hospital, suffered minor injuries while evacuating patients from the dilapidated building.
A portion of the 68-year-old building housing a bathroom complex attached to the 14th ward (orthopaedics department) of the hospital collapsed around 10.30am. Those who were present at the spot managed to rescue two persons from the debris.
Meanwhile, Veena and Vasavan, who arrived at the scene soon after, asserted that the building was not in use and there were no reports of anyone remaining trapped under the rubble. The ministers’ statements allegedly contributed to a significant delay in the rescue operations.
Health min dismisses lapses in rescue ops
It was alleged that excavators were not brought to the site immediately after the incident. The collapsed building is located deep within the hospital campus, further delaying timely arrival of rescue equipment.
According to relatives of Bindu, the accident occurred when she went to take a bath in the washroom in the building. She was in the hospital for the treatment of her daughter, Navami, 20, in the neuro department. It was only after Bindu’s daughter reported that her mother had gone to the bathroom and could not be reached by phone that authorities decided to conduct a thorough search of the debris.
By the time Bindu was found from under the rubble by 1pm and shifted to the casualty department, which was only a few metres away, she had died.
Veena, who met mediapersons in the afternoon, dismissed any lapse in the rescue operations. She said the Kottayam district collector has been assigned to conduct an inquiry and submit a report. “Everything possible was done as soon as possible. Rescue operations began as soon as the accident occurred. But it was difficult to get the earthmoving machines inside the hospital. After making a special route, the machines were taken to the accident site,” she said.
After the accident, hospital authorities evacuated patients and bystanders at wards 10, 11 and 14, creating panic among them. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who was in Kottayam to attend various programmes, also visited the hospital in the evening.
The incident sparked widespread protests from Opposition parties. Youth Congress activists staged a blockade protest in front of the office of the hospital superintendent later in the afternoon. UDF leaders, including MP K Francis George, MLAs Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and Chandy Oommen, visited the site.