Surat building collapse: At least 7 killed, 15 injured, more feared trapped

A six-storey building collapsed in Sachin Pali village in Surat on Saturday afternoon. The incident took place following several days of incessant rain in the region.

The building, which was approximately eight years old, housed textile workers and their families in rented apartments.

“We have recovered seven dead bodies so far. All the deceased have been identified. They were mostly workers employed in the textile industry,” police inspector J R Chaudhary told HT on Sunday. 

According to officials, soon after the incident was reported around 3pm on Saturday, emergency services, including fire officials and teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), were rushed to the site. Rescue operations began immediately, with workers sifting through a mountain of concrete debris in search of survivors.

Initial reports indicated that one woman was rescued alive from the rubble, while several others were feared trapped. As the search operation progressed, one dead body was found around 9.30pm on Saturday. The death toll rose to seven by Sunday morning.

Rajesh Parmar, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (Zone 6), stated earlier that four to five individuals were believed to be trapped inside the debris. The search and rescue operation is ongoing. 

Eyewitnesses described the scene as horrifying, with large chunks of concrete slabs piled atop one another. Officials noted that the building was in a dilapidated state prior to the collapse, raising questions about building safety standards in the area.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse and the building’s structural integrity, said an official.