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At least 14 people have died and nearly a dozen more injured after massive sacks of potatoes caused a roof to collapse in India.
Footage shows rescuers scouring the mountain of potatoes, rubble and mangled metal wire in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh to find survivors.
The roof of the reportedly dilapidated cold storage chamber along Indira Road caved in yesterday morning.
Police say the roof was built just three months ago without planning permission, with the ceiling buckling under the weight of the heaps of potatoes.
As of Friday, 14 of the 24 people pulled out of the rubble have died and nearly a dozen were injured, The Tribune, the largest English daily in India, reported.
District Magistrate Manish Bansal said four people are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Moradabad, while six have been discharged.
Diggers had to wade through the thousands of potatoes (Picture: BBC)
More than a dozen people were killed by the avalanche (Picture: BBC)
Those injured will have their medical bills paid for, state officials say (Picture: BBC)
Deputy Inspector General of Police Shalabh Mathur added that the rescue operation is in its final phase after stretching through the night.
‘The incident happened around 11:30am. We are trying to evacuate the trapped people as soon as possible,’ he said yesterday.
The team included personnel from the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force as well as 21 ambulance crews.
The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, visited the injured at the hospital and announced a raft of support for those affected by the tragedy.
Next of kin will receive around Rs 2 lakh, or around £2,000. Those critically injured will receive Rs 50,000 (nearly £500) and will receive free medical treatment, the minister’s spokesperson said.
Government officials will now work together with police as part of a committee to investigate what caused the roof to collapse.
The warehouse was reportedly already worn down before the collapse (Picture: BBC)
‘Meeting the people injured in the cold store accident at Chandausi in district Sambhal today, inquired about their well-being and their treatment from the doctors,’ Adityanath said on Twitter.
‘All are being treated on priority. May Lord Shri Ram grant speedy recovery to all, this is my prayer.’
Mathur said a case has been lodged against the owners of the buildings.
‘Under Section 304, an (first information report) was filed at Chandausi police station against Ankur Agarwal and Rohit Agarwal, the owners of the building,’ he said.
‘An inquiry has been ordered into lapses, if any, in the administrative process.’
He added: ‘As per the information that we have received, the building was new and items were stored without taking requisite permissions and clearances.
‘The cold storage was filled beyond capacity because of which it collapsed.’
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