3 labourers killed in building collapse in Kerala, labour dept orders probe

Three migrant labourers died when an around 40-year-old building, at Kodakara in this central Kerala district, where they were living, collapsed early Friday morning as they were getting ready for work, police said.

According to the police officials and officers of the fire and rescue services who visited the spot, there were 17 migrant workers living in the building, and of them, 14 escaped without any injuries.

The incident occurred around 6 am, and the entire rescue operation took around two and a half hours, according to the police.

Subsequently, state Labour Minister V Sivankutty directed the Labour Commissioner to conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident and submit a report, his office said in a statement.

It also said that the department will take all necessary steps to repatriate the mortal remains of the workers to their native places.

Meanwhile, state BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, in a Facebook post, termed the incident as tragic and extended his condolences to the bereaved families.

Giving details of the operation, a fire force officer said earlier in the day that two of those trapped under the debris could be rescued quickly as they were close to the surface.

It took more time to bring out the third person as he was trapped under a lot of debris, including huge concrete slabs, the officer said.

He said that three units were deployed in the rescue operation.

Several fire and rescue personnel and a couple of JCBs were used to remove the debris and rescue the victims, according to visuals shown on TV channels.

The police said that the first two people died on the way to the hospital.

A senior police officer at the scene told reporters that it needs to be investigated what led to the incident.

A fire force officer said that it needs to be examined whether the building had structural stability and fitness clearances.

A revenue official at the spot told reporters that officials of the labour department have been asked to reach the site quickly to answer why so many workers were permitted to be housed in the building.

The revenue official also said that it needs to be examined whether it was an unfit structure.