Stage collapses: 1 killed, 7 injured

Chennai, Jan 1: One person was killed and seven were injured, two of them seriously, when a wooden stage erected over a swimming pool in a hotel here, on which people were dancing during the New Year bash caved in last night.

Police today said a group of persons partying at the hotel on Radhakrishnan Salai got ready to wish each other for the New Year at midnight by dancing on the make-shift stage when it collapsed. Many of them fell into the pool.

The deceased was identified as Summit Agniothri (24), a software engineer. Fire and Rescue Services personnel rushed to the spot and rescued the people, who fell into the water.

The injured were admitted to the Government General hospital.

A case has been registered against the hotel authorities, police said.

UNI