Pune: Residential complex wall collapses on slums after heavy rain, 15 dead

Pune: At least 15 people including women and children were killed when a wall of residential complex collapsed on shanties following incessant rain in city in the wee hours of Saturday, here.

According to police the shanties were built for labourers working on construction site nearby.

Police further said the incident occurred in Kondhwa area of the city when 20 ft well, which belong to an apartment complex, caved in on the adjoining slum, which shanties and makeshift tin houses mostly inhabited by labourers and their families bearing the brunt of the collapsed.

Three injured were admitted to a government hospital, where their condition was stated to be critical, police said.

Heavy rainfall and negligence of builders were stated to be the reason for wall collapsing.

The victims were hailing from Bihar, Bengal and Odisha.

Police said the process of identification of deceased is on.

Newly elected Pune district Guardian Minister Chandrakant Patil told UNI over phone that he is leaving from Kolhapur for Pune, adding that he was continuously monitoring the situation and will reach the spot soon.

Mr Patil, who is also the senior BJP leaders of state said that he has given instructions to the district collector Naval Kishore Ram, to take stern action within 24 hours against the errant builders and contractors, who flouted the construction rules.

Although no FIR was registered against anyone.

The fire brigade and National Disaster response force (NDRF) personnel immediately rushed to spot and launched rescue operation, police said. (UNI)