The Hindu : Front Page : 27 die as wall collapses on bar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 24, 2007
ePaper

Front Page

Front Page

27 die as wall collapses on bar

M. Gunasekaran

Accident on outskirts of Tirupur, which received 53 mm rainfall in two hours

— Photo: M. Balaji

RESCUE EFFORT: Debris being removed from the TASMAC bar in Anupparpalayam Pudur, near Tirupur on Wednesday.

TIRUPUR: Twenty-seven persons were crushed to death and five injured when a huge compound wall of a factory collapsed on an adjacent Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) bar at Anupparpalayam Pudur, on the outskirts of Tirupur, following heavy rain on Wednesday night.

They were trapped when a portion of the wall measuring about 100 feet in length and about 20 feet in height collapsed. The town received 53 mm rainfall in two hours. The dead, all men aged between 25 and 65 years, included poor migrant workers, supervisors at hosiery units from various parts of the State and suppliers of the bar.

According to eyewitnesses, the bar was crowded with about 50 persons. Muthuraja (30) of Cumbum, who was severely injured and rushed to Coimbatore Medical College, told The Hindu that the wall collapsed after more than an hour of continuous rain accompanied by thunder and lightning.

"The compound wall suddenly fell on the roof of the bar. We heard a huge noise." Personnel from the Fire and Rescue Services, police and Friends of Police and the public found it difficult to remove the debris and recover the bodies. Three excavator-cum-loaders were pressed into service.

Many of the deceased are yet to be identified. The bodies of Murugan (27) of Usilampatti in Madurai district, Karthik and M. Shiva of Athani in Erode district were claimed by their relatives.

All the bodies were taken to the Tirupur General Hospital. Hundreds of relatives and friends of the victims thronged the hospital.

The injured were shifted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.

More than 30 doctors were called on emergency services from Tirupur and Coimbatore to conduct post-mortem. Hospital authorities said post-mortems would be conducted at night so that the bodies could be handed over on Thursday morning.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page