Thodupuzha, 07 September (H.S.):Two workers were killed and two others injured after a portion of an ageing building collapsed during demolition work at Muthalakodam in Thodupuzha on Monday afternoon.

The deceased were identified as Anoop and Joy, both residents of Kothamangalam. Two migrant workers who sustained serious injuries were taken to Holy Family Hospital at Muthalakodam. Hospital authorities said their condition was stable and that their lives were not in danger.

The accident occurred at Sanjo Bhavan, a nearly 30-year-old building under the Kothamangalam diocese. The facility is used to accommodate elderly priests and had been taken up for renovation because of its age. Workers were dismantling a section of the structure when a concrete slab from the sunshade suddenly gave way.

The slab, along with concrete beams, fell on four workers at the site, trapping them beneath the debris. Local residents and rescue personnel launched efforts to remove the rubble and reach those caught underneath. It took around half an hour to pull all four workers out of the wreckage.

Anoop and Joy suffered critical injuries and could not be saved. The other two workers were rushed to hospital for emergency treatment. Further details about the nature of their injuries were not immediately available.

The collapse caused concern in the locality, with officials examining how the demolition was being carried out and whether adequate safety precautions had been put in place. The exact circumstances leading to the failure of the slab are yet to be established.

The district collector has sought a report on the incident. Acting on the collector’s direction, the local tahsildar visited the site and began an inspection. Officials are expected to examine the condition of the structure, the sequence of the demolition work and the safety arrangements at the site before submitting their findings to the authorities.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman