12 killed, including 3 women, 15 injured in apartment collapse

Coimbatore, Oct 19 (UNI) Twelve people, including three women, were crushed to death and 15 others injured when a four-storeyed dilapidated apartment collapsed following heavy rain in the last few days near Ukkadam bus stand in the city, this evening.

Police said the more than 35-year-old Slum Clearance Board apartment, which comprised of 24 flats, started incopsing since afternoon and came down this evening, trapping people under the debris.

The women deceased were identified as Tulasi, Jasmin and Veni.

District Collector Neeraj Mittal rushed to the spot to supervise the relief and rescue operation, which was hampered due to continuous rains.

The administration pressed into service Rapid Action Force into the rescue operation. Six proclain machines were pressed into service and efforts were being made to save as many people.

About 20 people might be stock in the debris, the sources said.

In all, about 100 people were living in the apartments and nearly 75 per cent of them came out for safety when the building started sinking.

Official sources said that soon after the alert, officials rushed to the spot and started evicting the people.

Even as majority of them left the premises, some people remained in the flats to take out their personal belongings like television sets, police added.

Rain had slowed down and relief work was going on in full swing.

UNI