Lucknow building collapse: Death toll rises to 8 as 3 more bodies recovered in ongoing search efforts

PTC News Desk: The death toll from the Lucknow building collapse has risen to eight after three more bodies were recovered from the debris on Sunday morning, bringing the total number of injured to 28. The collapsed structure, located in the Transport Nagar area, housed warehouses and a motor workshop.

According to Relief Commissioner G S Naveen, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) recovered the bodies of Raj Kishore (27), Rudra Yadav (24), and Jagrup Singh (35) during ongoing rescue operations. A senior district official stated that efforts are focused on ensuring no one else is trapped under the rubble.

What happened?

The building, known as the ‘Harmilap Building,’ was primarily used as a pharmaceutical warehouse and collapsed around 5 PM on Saturday. The police reported that the structure, built about four years ago, was undergoing construction work at the time. Most of the victims were on the ground floor when the collapse occurred. The injured have been transported to various hospitals, including Lok Bandhu Hospital.

The building housed a motor workshop and warehouse on the ground floor, a medical godown on the first floor, and a cutlery warehouse on the second floor. One of the injured workers, Akash Singh, who was employed at the medical godown, said they had come to the ground floor due to the rain when they noticed a crack in one of the pillars. “Suddenly, the entire building collapsed on us,” Singh said.

Government Response

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed district officials to accelerate relief efforts and ensure that the injured receive immediate medical care. His office posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “The chief minister has directed the district administration officials, SDRF, and NDRF teams to reach the site and expedite the relief work, ensuring that the injured are immediately taken to the hospital for proper treatment. He also wished for the speedy recovery of the injured.”

Defence Minister and Lucknow MP Rajnath Singh also expressed his sorrow over the tragedy. On X, Singh said, “The news of the collapse of a building in Lucknow is extremely painful. I have spoken to the District Magistrate and received information about the situation. The local administration is carrying out relief and rescue operations and is helping the victims in every possible way.”

The rescue operation is still ongoing as authorities continue their search for any remaining survivors.