Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], September 10 : Two workers died after a water tank slab collapsed near Marwari College in Ranchi on Wednesday evening, officials said.
Five workers were present at the site when the collapse occurred, of whom three were rescued safely. Two workers were trapped under the debris.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local administration were present at the spot and carried out the rescue operation.
Speaking to the media, 9th Battalion NDRF Commandant Md. Saleem Rayeem said that the NDRF team reached the spot after receiving information about the incident and retrieved the second body.
"We rushed here as soon as we received information and retrieved a body. Five people were here, and of them, three were rescued safely. One body was recovered by the civil administration earlier, and the second body was recovered now. The body has been handed over to the Police," he said.
He said the remaining body was trapped beneath a slab and was retrieved using NDRF equipment with the assistance of the civil administration.
"We didn't face any major difficulties; we had all the necessary equipment available. We utilised a JCB machine provided by the civil administration to assist in the retrieval. The entire operation took us about 20 to 25 minutes to complete," he said.
The NDRF Commandant said a total of two bodies were recovered, with one body being recovered earlier by the local authorities and the second retrieved by the NDRF team.
Speaking to the media, station in-charge of Kotwali police station, Sanoj Choudhary, said, "Two workers were trapped under the debris. Both bodies have been retrieved."
He said the operation had been underway since around 5 pm and that the incident occurred between 5:30 pm and 6 pm.
"We are investigating the matter; labourers were working up there, demolition work was underway, and it collapsed during that process," Choudhary said.
The bodies were handed over to the police after being recovered.