Amid incessant rains, tragedy struck Surat as a six-storey building collapsed in Sachin Pali village. By Sunday, officials confirmed that seven bodies had been pulled from the rubble. The building, which housed 30 apartments, was illegally constructed and mostly vacant, with only five flats occupied. Residents paid ₹1,200 per month in rent.
"The search operation continued throughout the night. Seven dead bodies have been recovered," Chief Fire Officer Basant Pareek told ANI. The seventh body was retrieved at 6 am, marking the end of the rescue operation.
On Saturday, a woman was rescued from the debris, while 15 others sustained injuries when the building collapsed around 2:45 pm.
Rescuers worked tirelessly overnight, removing large concrete slabs to reach trapped residents. Teams from the NDRF and SDRF cut through the concrete in their efforts.
The building, constructed in 2017, housed five families at the time of the collapse. According to police, several residents were at work during the incident, while others, working night shifts, were asleep inside.
Chaos ensued as locals rushed to save those trapped under the debris. Despite being only eight years old, most flats were vacant and dilapidated.
"About five flats were occupied, mainly by factory workers in the area. When the rescue work began, we heard the cries of those trapped. We rescued a woman from the rubble and sent her to the hospital," said Anupam Gehlot, Commissioner of Police, Surat.
Earlier, Gehlot had stated that 6-7 people were suspected to be trapped under the rubble. "We can hear their voices from inside the debris. They will be rescued soon," he assured.