Hyderabad building collapse toll rises to 14

Hyderabad, Feb 6 (IANS) The toll in Friday's building collapse here rose to 14 as one more body was retrieved from the debris as the authorities completed the rescue work Saturday, officials said here.

The rescue workers retrieved two bodies early Saturday while one body was pulled out in the afternoon.

Eighteen hours after the four-storeyed building under construction crumpled, a person was pulled out alive from the debris. Hyderabad District Collector Navin Mittal said watchman Mallaiah was rescued early Saturday and shifted to a hospital.

The accident in the busy Narayanguda area in the city centre has claimed 14 lives, including a two-year-old child and four women. Six people were injured. All the victims were construction labourers from Medak and Mahabubnagar districts.

The district collector said the building was being constructed without permission from municipal authorities. "We will take legal action  against the builder," he said.

Officials said the builder was constructing additional floors on an old building, which led to the incident.

The building collapsed around 2.30 p.m. Friday. The students of an adjacent private school had a narrow escape. The authorities have closed the school as its building too suffered damage.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) suspended three officials for their failure to prevent unauthorised construction.

The government has ordered a probe into the collapse and announced compensation of Rs.200,000 to the families of each of those killed.