Surat school building collapse toll rises to eight

Surat, Jan 27 (UNI) Even as rescue operations continued at the collapsed school building site at Dhichakpur village near Vyara, one more body was recovered taking the toll to eight.

Seven bodies had already been recovered from the site last night.

Surat district collector Vatsala Vasudev said around 50 students were still trapped inside the collapsed building and eight bodies were found dead and 21 admitted to various hospitals in Vyara.

All the students in the residential school belonged to 13-16 age group, sources said.

Four dead bodies were identified as that of Dharmishta Chaudhuri, Premika Chaudhuri, Bimbika Chaudhuri and Thejal Gamit, sources added.

The wall adjecent to a staircase in the four-storied Adarsh Nivasi Shara, a residential school for tribal girls at Dhichakpur near Vyara, was collapsed last evening around 1730 hrs.

Ms Vatsala said an inquiry would be ordered into the causes fpr the tragedy.

Meanwhile, rescue operation to clear the debris continued and a medical team comprising doctors from hospitals of Bardoli, Kakarapara and Surat have rushed to the spot.

UNI