Workers living in an abandoned building of a school on Market Road in the city had a narrow escape when the structure collapsed on Wednesday evening.
All the 15 workers staying in the building were engaged in drainage construction for the Kochi Corporation nearby at the time when the building, which was also a makeshift storage area of construction equipment, collapsed.
Locals gathered around after they heard the deafening sound of the collapse. Absence of rain at the time perhaps saved the lives of the workers as they would have taken shelter in the structure if it was raining.
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Local residents and shopkeepers in the area voiced concern over the irresponsible manner in which the workers were accommodated in the building. Mayor Soumani Jain, who rushed to the spot, said that instructions had been issued not to accommodate workers in the building. The contractor had also denied that the workers were staying in the building, she said.
However, clothes and cooking vessels were found inside the building.