A building block collapsed at the Medical College and Hospital, Kottayam, Kerala, causing the death of a woman and leaving three people injured today, Thursday, July 3. Bindu, the deceased, was from Thalayolaparambu, Kottayam. She was stuck under the rubble after the event, and her body was pulled out two hours later.
While initial reports indicated that no one was trapped, a woman named Bindu was reported missing, prompting the search to be escalated. She was taken to the hospital, but died. Meanwhile, heated scenes erupted at the accident site after residents insisted that the search continue since more people were trapped within.
At Kottayam Medical College, a section of the building adjacent to ward 14 fell. The three-story building, which housed restrooms, collapsed around 10.45 am. A woman and two children were hurt and taken to the hospital.
The tragedy occurred as the state government was dealing with a dispute over equipment shortages and infrastructure difficulties in government medical colleges.
Eyewitnesses and spectators of patients present at the scene told the media that they saw the structure collapse with a heavy thud.
"All three people who got injured were immediately rescued and taken to the casualty for emergency medical care," a bystander told OnManorama.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is now holding a regional review meeting for administrative and developmental operations in Kottayam. Ministers VN Vasavan and Veena George arrived at the place.
“We received an alert at 10.55 am about people trapped inside the collapsed building. Two units were immediately dispatched from here, and we are awaiting further details. Units from the nearby stations are also dispatched,” said Ranjith Krishnan, an official at the Kottayam Fire Station.
All the injured are bystanders, not patients. They might have entered the area to sit or rest. It was a closed section, which the authorities were using to dump waste materials,” said Minister NV Vasavan.
Health Minister Veena George, who arrived at the site, stated that the collapsed building was not in use at the time of the incident. “This was a closed building. We have already decided to shift all activities related to this block. A new building has been constructed using funds from KIIFB, and it is now ready for use,” said Veena George.
According to a medical college official, the administration built the new facility after discovering the now-collapsed edifice to be inadequate and in a state of disrepair.
"Its parlous state had been identified earlier. It is suspected that the injured may have been standing near Ward 10, close to the third floor of the building,” said the official.
