1 dead in Ahmedabad building collapse, 4 rescued

A body was recovered from the debris of the two building blocks that collapsed in a government colony in Gujarat's Ahemedabad city following rains, an official said on Monday.

While four people were rescued after the four-storey building blocks located in Odhav locality collapsed on Sunday night, some were feared trapped under the debris.

"After 12 hours of rescue operation, we recovered a body crushed under the debris. The four rescued people had received injuries and were taken to a hospital," additional chief fire officer Rajesh Bhatt said.

A number of families resided in the nearly 20-year-old building blocks, but majority of them had vacated the premises on Saturday after the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation officials asked them to do so, looking at the poor condition of the structures.

"We have contacted all the families and nobody is missing. So, there is no likelihood of anyone else being trapped under the debris, which is being cleared," Bhatt said.

The two building blocks, constructed under a government housing scheme about two decades back, collapsed around 8 pm on Sunday after rains in the city, trapping five people who were residing there despite the AMC's warning.

AMC commissioner Vijay Nehra said officials had visited the building earlier and asked its residents to vacate the premises, owing to its dilapidated condition.

"Nearly 300 people were residing in the two building blocks. After our warning, most of them had vacated their houses, but some people returned there last (Sunday) evening," he said.

After the structure collapsed, personnel of the city fire brigade and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) conducted the rescue operation.

Gujarat Minister of State for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja, city Mayor Bijal Patel and other senior officials visited the site on Sunday night.