Old, unused building partially collapses in Chennai, no casualties reported

A portion of an old, unused building collapsed on Tuesday morning, on Perambur Barracks Road, Purasawalkam, a busy, congested locality in the city. No one was injured in the incident.

A portion of an old, unused building collapsed on Tuesday morning, on Perambur Barracks Road, Purasawalkam, a busy, congested locality in the city. No one was injured in the incident.

The building, believed to be about 100 years old, structured as a stilt-plus-first-floor, was in a dilapidated condition. Residents who were earlier living in had left the premises some time ago, police said. Though the owner had obtained permission to demolish it, the work had not yet been executed.

Police personnel from Vepery, Esplanade and Egmore rushed to the spot and quickly conducted a search in the debris, later declaring that there was nobody trapped inside, and there had been no injuries or deaths.

Senior officials of the Chennai Corporation, Fire and Rescue Services and the police all arrived at the site, and a prelimilinary investigation has begun.