Ghaziabad: A 28-year-old construction worker was crushed to death and six others were injured after the concrete roof slab of an under-construction house collapsed on them while they were casting it in Modinagar on Saturday morning. The collapse buried several workers under a heap of concrete and twisted iron rods, triggering a rescue operation involving fire services, police, NDRF and SDRF teams.The incident took place around 8am at a house on the road connecting Sikri Khurd and Kalchhina. However, officials said the fire control room in Modinagar received information about people trapped under the debris only at 9.20am.Two injured workers were taken to hospital by the time fire personnel reached the spot. Rescuers, assisted by police and local residents, then began clearing the rubble. They used bolt cutters, electric cutters and pickaxes to cut through the iron rods and remove chunks of concrete. A hydra machine was also deployed to lift the heavier debris.Five more persons were pulled out one by one. Rescuers subsequently searched the site manually and deployed an excavator to check for anyone else trapped. No further victims were found.The worker who died was Chhotu (28), a resident of Faridnagar in Bhojpur. He was pulled out from under the debris and rushed to the community health centre in Modinagar, where doctors declared him dead.“Two injured workers are admitted to Jeevan Hospital in Modinagar, while four are being treated at MMG Hospital in Ghaziabad. All six are stable, and none is in critical condition,” said Sanjeev Yadav, sub-inspector at Modinagar police station.DCP (rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari said all available emergency teams were mobilised. “As soon as we received information, teams from fire service, NDRF and SDRF reached the spot and began rescue operations,” he added.The assistant commissioner of police and sub-divisional magistrate of Modinagar also visited the site. Police registered an FIR against the house owner, Satyendra. The rescue operation was called off after the debris was cleared and a final search found no one else trapped.
