• By Nidhi Giri
  • Sat, 12 Oct 2024 05:08 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND

Gujarat: Nine labourers, including two women, were killed and one person was injured after after soil caved in during construction of a stainless steel factory near Jasalpur village in Kadi taluka of Gujarat’s Mehsana district on Saturday, police said. Rescue operations are currently underway to rescue those trapped in the soil, and ambulances are currently on standby. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakhs from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased in the mishap. Rs 50,000 would be given to those injured, informed the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO, soon after the incident.

The labourers had dug a 16-foot deep pit for a tank at the site when the incident took place, Kadi police station inspector Prahaladsinh Vaghela said. The incident took place near Kadi town, around 37 km from the Mehsana district headquarters. 

"A rescue operation was carried out for around two hours involving teams from the fire brigade, police as well as labourers. Nine bodies were brought out from the heap, while one person was rescued. Most of the deceased are from Dahod, while three are from Rajasthan. They are in the 20-30 age group," Vaghela said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

They were engaged in construction work at the site of Steelinox Stainless Private Limited, the official added.

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Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the collapse incident.

“The accident caused by the wall collapse in Mehsana, Gujarat is extremely sad. My deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this... Along with this, I wish for the speedy recovery of the injured. Under the supervision of the state government, the local administration is engaged in providing all possible help to the victims,” PMO posted on X.

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Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, in a message on X, expressed condolences and said "procedures for rescue and quick treatment of the injured have been carried out by the administration".