Seven bodies were recovered a day after a six-storey building collapsed in Surat amidst heavy rains, officials confirmed on Sunday. The residential building, housing 30 apartments, was illegally constructed in Sachin Pali village and mostly vacant. Only five flats were occupied, with residents paying Rs 1,200 a month for rent.
“The search operation continued overnight. We have recovered seven bodies,” said Chief Fire Officer Basant Pareek to news agency ANI. He added that the seventh body was found at 6 am, marking the conclusion of the rescue efforts.
On Saturday, a woman was rescued from beneath the debris, while 15 others sustained injuries during the collapse around 2.45 pm, officials reported.
Throughout the night, rescuers worked tirelessly to clear massive concrete slabs that formed a large heap of rubble at the site. Teams from NDRF and SDRF cut through the debris to reach trapped residents.
The building, erected in 2017, housed five families at the time of the collapse. According to police, many residents were away at work during the incident, but those who worked night shifts were inside, asleep.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos following the sudden collapse, with locals rushing to rescue anyone trapped under the debris. Despite the building being relatively young at eight years old, officials noted that most flats were vacant and in poor condition.
“Approximately five flats were occupied, mainly by workers from nearby factories. During the rescue operation, we heard cries for help from those trapped. We managed to rescue a woman from the rubble and she was immediately taken to hospital,” said Surat Commissioner of Police Anupam Gehlot.
Earlier, the police had estimated that 6-7 people might be trapped under the rubble, affirming that efforts were underway to rescue them. “We can hear their voices from beneath the rubble. They will be rescued soon,” the senior officer had assured.
