On Friday, the death toll from the cold storage roof collapse in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, rose to 14, with several more workers still trapped under the rubble. Despite the rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force successfully saving 11 workers, one of them did not survive treatment. The local district magistrate has confirmed that the bodies will be given to the families of the victims after postmortem exams.
The rescue operation is still underway, and the authorities have registered an FIR against the cold storage owners. The accident happened when the workers were overloading potato sacks onto a rack, which then crashed down, taking the roof with it. Dozens of workers were trapped under the rubble along with thousands of tonnes of potato sacks, making the rescue operation a challenging one.
Villagers in the area reported hearing “voices from the accident site” and rescue teams worked tirelessly to save as many workers as possible. However, this tragedy raises important questions about the safety of workers in such hazardous conditions.
It is essential to not overlook the plight of those who were affected by this accident. One can only hope that authorities will take steps to ensure the safety of workers in the future. This tragedy is a reminder of the importance of workplace safety standards and the need for strict implementation of these rules.
