Following the collapse of a cold storage unit’s roof in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, at least two dozen labourers were trapped inside. Sadly, the toll has now risen to 14 individuals. It’s said that the mishap occurred while potato sacks were being overloaded onto a rack. The entire structure collapsed, burying more than two dozen workers under tonnes of debris and sacks.
Despite the tragedy, rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force worked tirelessly to find survivors. Eleven people were pulled out of the rubble alive, while one person tragically passed away after receiving treatment.
According to Sambhal district magistrate Manish Bansal, the victims’ bodies will be handed over to their families following postmortem exams. Although there are no further claims of missing persons, officials stated that the rescue operation will continue until all the debris has been cleared from the site.
In response to the incident, an FIR has been registered against the cold storage owners. The community has been left in distress by this unfortunate event, and at one point, some villagers even claimed that they could still hear voices coming from the rubble. Despite the difficulties, the rescue team was able to pull out a few more labourers from the wreckage.
This is a tragic reminder of the importance of maintaining safety standards in the workplace. The situation could have been avoided if proper precautions and protocols had been put in place. Let’s hope that measures will be taken to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.
