More than 10 people of four families are feared trapped under the debris after an under-construction multi-storied building collapsed at Nanakramguda of Gachchibowli at around 9.30 p.m. on Thursday.
As the news spread, Cyberabad police and teams of GHMC officials rushed to the spot and took up rescue operations.
Two JCB machines were brought to the spot to remove the debris. As it was night and pitch dark, rescue operations could not be taken up immediately on full-scale.
A neighbour told police that majority of the persons living in the building were construction labourers. Cyberabad Police Commissioner Sandeep Shandilya arrived and supervised rescue operations. GHMC officials requested National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to send teams for help in rescuing those trapped under the debris.
GHMC town planning and engineering wing officials also dashed to the spot.
Residents of the locality joined hands with the police in removing the debris and searching for those trapped inside. When reports last came in, 12 injured persons were rushed to near-by hospital.
Preliminary enquiry revealed that the building was owned by a person called Sattu Singh. Eye witnesses said the building came down with a big thud. Some students, residing in adjacent houses, panicked and hurried out of their premises.
“There was a vibration and the entire building came down in seconds. At least 25 people resided in the building including four to five children and women respectively,” a student said. Excise Minister T. Padma Rao visited the spot.
Another person said that he narrowly survived the collapse but saw a family living in the building trapped under the debris. “The family is from Chhattisgarh. Their fate is not yet known,” he added.
Further, he said that recently the GHMC officials examined the building and took its pictures. They maintained the building was constructed illegally.
