Building collapse in India kills 8 and injures 28 as rescue efforts continue

A building collapse in the most populous Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has claimed eight lives and injured 28 people, police said.

The incident occurred on Saturday evening in Lucknow ’s Transport Nagar area, and rescue efforts are still underway.

The building, identified as the Harmilap Building, housed godowns and a motor workshop. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) recovered three bodies from the debris on Sunday morning, bringing the death toll to eight.

"We had come down to the ground floor because it was raining. We noticed that a crack had developed on a pillar of the building. Suddenly, the entire building collapsed on us," Akash Singh, an injured survivor, told the Press Trust of India .

According to police, the building, which was constructed around four years ago, was undergoing renovation work when it collapsed. Most of the victims were on the ground floor at the time of the incident.

The injured individuals have been transported to several medical facilities, including Lok Bandhu Hospital, for treatment.

The building’s layout consisted of a motor workshop and storage area on the ground floor, a medical storage facility on the first floor, and a cutlery storage area on the second floor, as confirmed by officials.

The Relief Commissioner’s office released a statement identifying the deceased as Raj Kishore, Rudra Yadav, Jagrup Singh Sahani, Jagroop Singh, Dheeraj Gupta, Pankaj Tiwari, Arun Sonkar, and Rakesh Lakhan Pal.

President Droupadi Murmu expressed deep sorrow over the Lucknow building collapse. "I'm deeply saddened by the loss of lives. My condolences go out to the bereaved families, and I pray for the swift recovery of the injured."

Prime minister Narendra Modi announced Rs200,000 (£1,813) ex-gratia for next of kin of the deceased and Rs50,000 (£453) for injured in Lucknow building collapse.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has taken cognisance of the incident and directed district officials to accelerate relief efforts and ensure proper medical care for the injured.

"The loss of life due to the collapse of a building in Lucknow district is extremely sad and heartbreaking. My condolences are with the grieving families of the deceased," said the chief minister of the state ruled by prime minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party .

Defence minister Rajnath Singh, who is also the Lok Sabha MP from Lucknow, expressed his sorrow over the deaths. "The news of the collapse of a building in Lucknow is extremely painful. I have spoken to the District Magistrate of Lucknow over the phone and got information about the situation at the spot," he said.

The police have filed a case against the building owner, and an investigation is underway.

The rescue operation is ongoing, with officials ensuring that no one else remains trapped under the rubble.

"It was a terrifying sight," Bacchan Pandey, manager of a security agency just 10m away from the site, told the Times of India . "We have never seen anything like this before. It crashed like a mound of dust. I ran to the site to help, offering water to those who were rescued. I just hope the injured recover quickly."