2 children among 3 dead in Visakhapatnam building collapse

Police commissioner Ch Shrikanth said that the preliminary investigation revealed that the neighbour had dug up the land adjacent to the collapsed building for laying a foundation and this could have affected the building’s foundation. “Even a day before the collapse, the neighbour was digging a borewell in his land. A case is registered under Section 174 CrPC and an investigation is on,” he said.

Maharanipet police said it will coordinate with the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) to examine the cause of the building collapse and initiate appropriate legal action against the persons responsible.

Speaking to the reporters, GVMC Commissioner P Rajababu said the building was at least 40 years old, had no pillars to support the concrete roof and the bricks could have gotten softened due to the continuous rains.

“In our preliminary findings, it seems the building had no strength to hold three floors of weight as it was built without pillars. Continuous rains in the last few days could have impacted the load-bearing capacity, leading to its sudden collapse. We will also examine if vibrations from nearby construction had any effect,” he said.

According to him, notices are being issued to owners of dilapidated buildings through which they are either being asked to demolish the building themselves or vacate them. Rajababu said that it is an ongoing process and action would be taken against owners who fail to comply with orders.