7 killed in Surat building collapse, bodies retrieved
What's the story
The bodies of seven people who were killed when a six-story residential building collapsed in Sachin Pali village, Surat, during heavy rainfall were retrieved from the rubble on Sunday.
The building, comprising 30 apartments with five occupied units, fell on Saturday.
Chief Fire Officer Basant Pareek confirmed that "the search operation continued throughout the night. Seven dead bodies have been recovered," with the seventh body retrieved at 6:00am on Sunday.
Rescue efforts
Rescue operations continue, no more residents believed trapped
The rescue operation involved removing large concrete slabs from a mountain of debris at the site.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) worked tirelessly to reach trapped residents.
While search operations are still ongoing, rescuers believe no more residents are trapped under the debris.
The building, constructed in 2017, housed five families at the time of collapse.
Casualties reported
Woman rescued, 15 injured in Surat building collapse
Police reports indicate that while several residents were at work during the incident, many who worked night shifts were sleeping inside.
"Around five flats were occupied, mostly by those who work in factories in this area. When rescue work started, we heard the cries of those who were trapped," said Commissioner of Police, Surat, Anupam Gehlot.
Despite being only eight years old, most flats in the building were vacant and dilapidated.