TIRUNELVELI: Three students died, and four were injured after a toilet wall at a government-aided school in Tirunelveli collapsed on them on Friday. According to sources, the incident happened at the Schaffter Higher Secondary School at SN High road in Tirunelveli town around 11 am, when a part of the front wall collapsed while students were inside the toilet, leaving them under the debris.
Fire and Rescue Services personnel retrieved the bodies of two students, and rescued five from under the debris. One more student died on the way to the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital. The deceased were identified as D Vishwa Ranjan of Ramaiyanpatti (class 8), R Suthish of Kondanagaram (class 6), and K Anbazhagan (class 9). The four injured – Sanjay (class 8), Esakki Prakash (class 9), Shiek Abubakkar Githani (class 12) and Abdullah (class 6) – are undergoing treatment. Sources said the students’ condition is stable.
CM MK Stalin, who condoled the incident, ordered Rs 10 lakh as solatium to the kin of the deceased. The four students who were injured would be given Rs 3 lakh each, he added. Later on the day, Transport Minister RS Rajakannappan said head mistress of the school BV Persis Gnanaselvi, correspondent Selvakumar and the contractor who built the wall – John – were arrested. Police said they are awaiting the CCTV footage from a building adjacent to the toilet premises, to get more clarity on the incident.
‘Complaints about weak structure went unheard’
Following the incident, students staged a protest at the school, and damaged its properties. One of the students at the protest site said many students had repeatedly complained about the weak wall constructed at the toilet entrance. Students said it would have been worse if the wall on the other side of the toilet had collapsed, as most of them go there frequently.
Fire and rescue officials said the bathroom wall seemed to be old, and could have lost its hold due to the recent rains. District Collector V Vishnu said the PWD officials conducted a preliminary assessment which revealed that the absence of a basement foundation for the wall could have caused the collapse. Action would be taken after conducting a technical analysis, he added.
Talking to reporters in Kumbakonam, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said teams with Education Department officials have been formed to reinspect the buildings of all schools, including government, aided and private schools in the State. “Engineers have been instructed to ascertain the stability of all school buildings.
At a meeting of Chief Educational Officers held last month, it was decided that schools should not allow students inside damaged buildings. That direction is not just for government schools but also for government-aided and private schools. The Tirunelveli incident is unfortunate and explanation has been sought from the persons concerned,” the minister said. He also said an inspection would be conducted in all schools, including private and matriculation schools, across Tirunelveli within 48 hours.
Assembly Speaker M Appavu, Transport Minister RS Rajakannappan, MLA Abdul Wahab, MLA Nainar Nagendran and Collector V Vishnu arrived at the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, and paid respects to the children. The compensation was also handed over to the families.
Teams to inspect schools
School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said officials will reinspect buildings of all schools in the State