Nine people miraculously escaped on Friday afternoon after a tree fell onto a century-old building on Govindappa Naicken Street in Parry’s Corner, where a packing unit was functioning.
The accident took place around noon at the unit where supari was being packed.
Eight employees — Tarabhai (60), R. Latha (42), S. Shanti (43), A. Bhuvaneswari (48), B. Ananthi (24), B. Thiyagarajan (52), Allah Basha (58) and Seetharama Iyer (54) — were working in the dilapidated building. The manager of the firm Uday Shah (60) was also present.
“The structure had been weakened by the tree. Following the recent spell of rains, the roots had become weak and the tree fell onto the structure. The nine people inside the building took shelter in a tiny room on the right-hand corner of the building,” said K. Sivasankaran, Station Fire Officer, High Court fire station.
Rescue operationA rescue tender reached there with over 12 firemen. “Using ladders, we entered through the five-storey structure nearby and reached the small room which remained intact despite the tree fall.
The nine people were rescued in an operation that lasted over an hour,” the SFO added.
Police sources revealed that a court case was pending on the proprietorship of the building, thus preventing its demolition.
