Eight-storey building collapses in Surat, injures six

The collapse of an eight-storey building in Gujarat's Surat has injured six people on Tuesday.

Fire brigade and rescue teams reached the site of the collapse and freed the injured people stuck under the debris as well as the residents stuck on the floors.

"A message was received in the fire emergency control room at 12:55 that the slab of a building in Kanhaiya apartment at Ghod dod road has collapsed. Fire brigade reached the site but the inner compartment of the building from its sixth floor had fallen completely. Six-seven people were stuck in the building. The fire brigade has rescued six people and sent them to the hospital. The work to remove debris is on," said fire officer of Surat Municipal Corporation, Pankaj Patel.

The building crumpled from its inner portion, thus giving a chance to the residents to escape from the balconies.

Reasons for the collapse are as yet unknown and being investigated but according to primary report, the building might have collapsed due to drill work taking place on the sixth floor.

"Renovation work was being carried out at some flat. And they were removing a part with the help of a drill machine which caused vibrations and the building collapsed. This is according to the preliminary information . But the final report of the engineer will reveal the real cause of the collapse," said city Mayor, Niranjan Zanzmera.

Three people are reported dead but the news has not been confirmed by the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) authorities.

Meanwhile, an investigation is underway.