A 10-member team of the Public Works Department, led by an officer of the rank of Superintending Engineer, inspected the second block at the accident site in Moulivakkam on Thursday.
After the inspection, one of the team members said neither the basement nor the soil quality had caused the collapse. The columns and beams, constructed by the promoter were not as per the design/drawing created by the architect. Only this could have led to the collapse of the 11-storey structure. The team would submit a detailed report to the government, he said.
A three-member team led by Emmanuel Torrente, a consultant with the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre, Bangkok, visited the site. They held discussions with revenue administration and NDRF officials regarding the progress of rescue operations.
Good Samaritans to the rescueWith the scorching sun and the dust and debris only adding to the discomfort at the site, the need for refreshments became imperative. And, to the rescue were residents from the vicinity who distributed water and buttermilk sachets to NDRF personnel, district administration staff, police officials and journalists.
A mini-van loaded with food packets also arrived around 2 p.m. More than 100 packets of food were distributed by a stranger. Similarly, two bubbletop cans filled with buttermilk were brought by someone in a two-wheeler, and simply left at the operation site for those who were in need.
Fewer onlookersThe sixth day of the rescue witnessed a drastic drop in the number of onlookers, a relief for police personnel who had spent the last couple of days shooing them away
