In a tragic incident early Friday, a crumbling two-storey structure in Kerala’s Thrissur district gave way, leading to the deaths of three migrant labourers from West Bengal, local police confirmed.
The accident occurred around 6 a.m. while the workers were preparing to head out for their daily jobs. The collapse buried three of them under debris — 19-year-old Rahul Islam, 21-year-old Abidul Aleem, and Rupel Mannan, also 21. Fourteen others staying in the same building managed to get out safely, authorities said.
The building, made from laterite stones and situated close to the Kodakara panchayat office, was home to nearly 17 inter-state labourers. Officials suspect recent heavy rains might have significantly weakened its structural integrity.
District Collector Arjun Pandian visited the scene and oversaw the rescue efforts. He stressed the need for a thorough probe into how the building came to be inhabited in such a fragile state.
Pandian noted that before every monsoon season, the local self-government (LSG) bodies are instructed to inspect buildings and declare whether they are stable. Specific instructions were issued this year to assess facilities housing migrant workers, he added.
Authorities are now coordinating with West Bengal officials to send the bodies of the deceased back to their hometowns for final rites.
The incident has raised serious concerns over enforcement of building safety standards and the vulnerability of migrant workers living in precarious conditions.