Toll in Secunderabad hotel collapse rises to 16

The toll in a hotel collapse in Secunderabad Tuesday rose to 16 with the rescuers retrieving three more bodies from the rubble.

Two of them were workers of the hotel while the third is yet to be identified, police said.

For the second day, the rescue workers continued to look for survivors under the debris of City Light Hotel. They believe two more people could still be trapped under the debris.

Officials of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) said the clearing of the debris is likely to be completed by Tuesday evening. Rescue teams from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) sifted through the debris looking for survivors.

The two-storey building in Secunderabad, the twin city of Hyderabad, collapsed early Monday. Thirteen bodies were recovered Monday while 23 injured were shifted to hospital.

GHMC officials said the experts were moving cautiously while clearing debris to prevent any harm to those who may yet be trapped.

The rescue workers pulled out 20 people from the rubble. The injured were admitted to Gandhi Hospital, where the condition of two is stated to be critical.

Police have booked hotel owner Hasan Boluki for negligence. Hasan's son Mustafa Boluki died in the mishap.

Hasan, who was relieved from hotel work by his son a few minutes before the mishap, suffered cardiac arrest upon hearing about his death. He was earlier believed to have been injured.