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1st LD Writethru: 9 feared killed in building collapse in western India

Xinhua, July 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

At least nine people are feared killed after parts of an under-construction building collapsed in the western Indian city of Pune Friday, a police official said.

"The 13-storeyed under-construction building caved in suddenly in the morning in the city, barely 160 kms from financial capital Mumbai, when nine laborers were working at the site," he said.

A massive search and rescue operation has been launched by the fire brigade for the laboreres who are suspected to be trapped under the debris of the building, the official said.

Local TV channels reported that the construction laborers were probably not wearing safety gear such as helmets while working at the site and so chances of their survival are minimal.

Pune's Mayor Prashant Jagtap has said that the civic body will carry out inspections at all such construction sites to find out if developers are adopting adequate safety measures of the workers.

"We have ordered a probe into the incident," the police official said, adding that the guilty will not be spared if negligence is found.

Building collapses are common in India mainly due to poor construction practices to make way for low-cost building for the country's growing middle-class. Enditem