A tragic incident unfolded in Surat, Gujarat, on Saturday when a six-storey building collapsed, claiming the lives of seven people and leaving several others trapped in the wreckage. The rescue operation, spearheaded by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), is underway, with teams diligently searching through the debris for survivors.
The Chief Fire Officer of Surat, Basant Pareek, confirmed that the search operation continued throughout the night, and seven bodies have been recovered.
The building, located in the Sachin area, housed 30 flats, of which only 4-5 were occupied at the time of the collapse. The rest of the flats were empty, with many of the residents either at work or asleep after their night shifts.
Surat Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot confirmed the incident, highlighting the immediate response of the police and fire brigade. A woman who was trapped under the rubble was successfully rescued. He also mentioned that initial estimations suggest that 5-6 people are still trapped beneath the debris.
Surat district collector Sourabh Pardhi has arrived at the site to oversee the search and rescue efforts being conducted by the police, fire services, NDRF, and SDRF.
