At least nine members of a family were killed and four are feared trapped after a three-storey house collapsed in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut on Saturday. The incident occurred in the Zakir Nagar area around 5:15 pm and the National Disaster Response Force, fire brigade, and police teams are engaged in the rescue operation.
According to officials, the owner of the building ran a dairy there and over two dozen buffaloes are also feared trapped.
Fifteen people were initially trapped in the building, of which 11 were rescued and taken to the hospital, where nine of them died.
The victims have been identified as Sajid (40), his daughter Saniya (15), son Saqib (11), Simra (one-and-half years), Reeza (7), Naffo (63), Farhana (20), Alisa (18) and Aliya (6).
Senior officials, including Meerut Zone Additional Director General of Police D K Thakur, Divisional Commissioner Selva Kumari J, Inspector General of Police Nachiketa Jha, and Senior Superintendent of Police Vipin Tada, reached the spot to monitor the rescue operation.
JCB machines were not able to assist in the rescue operation due to the narrow lanes of the area.