4 children among 15 dead as wall collapses in Indian city

Four children are among 15 people killed when a wall collapsed in Pune, India. The structure fell onto a group of shacks where people were sleeping, and dragged a number of parked cars down with it.

The disaster occurred in Pune’s Kondhwa area when, after the heaviest rain seen in nine years, a portion of a residential compound wall collapsed as the ground caved in the early hours of Saturday.

The debris from the wall fell on a number of shacks built by laborers working on a nearby construction site, and a number of cars were pushed down onto the shacks. 

Rescue workers carry the body of a victim. © Reuters

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the fire department searched the area for people stuck beneath the rubble. Three injured people were rushed to hospital after the accident. 

Pune police chief K Venkatesham told reporters an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the tragedy. “Firm action will be taken against those responsible,” he said. “We will check whether proper permissions were taken and safety measures were followed.”

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