Kolkata building collapse: Two dead, 13 rescued; govt to give Rs 5 lakhs to kin of dead

KOLKATA: At least two people died and many others were rescued from under the rubble after a five-storey under-construction building collapsed in South Kolkata's Metiabruz area on Monday.

West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services Minister Sujit Bose said that as many as 13 people have just been rescued from the spot.

"As many as 13 people have just been rescued and two have been reported dead. Rs 5 lakhs will be given as compensation to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh will be given to those injured," Bose said.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the incident site and met the injured at Unipon Hospital in South Kolkata.

The West Bengal Chief Minister said she is "saddened" after a five-storey under-construction building collapsed in South Kolkata's Metiabruz area.

"Sad to learn about the house collapse disaster of an under-construction building in the Garden Reach area of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Our Mayor, Fire Minister, Secretaries and Commissioner of Police, civic, police, fire and disaster management officers and teams (including NDRF, KMC and KP teams) have been on site throughout the night to mitigate the disaster," Banerjee said in a statement.

"This is an illegal construction. I express my condolences to the family. I will urge the administration to take strict action against those involved in illegal construction. When this construction was going on, those involved should have been more vigilant," she further said.

Urging the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Kolkata Police Commissioner to involve the West Bengal State Disaster Management Team in the ongoing rescue and relief operation, senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari posted, "I am receiving frantic calls regarding probable casualties. Please dispatch any team that can help in rescuing the victims, be it fire servicemen, police or any other team."