At least seven people have died and a few more are feared trapped after a building collapsed in the Ejipura area of Bengaluru on the morning of Monday, October 16.
Initial reports claimed that the collapse happened due to a cylinder blast, but Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy later confirmed that this was not the case.
The incident is believed to have taken place at 7 am on Monday, and the building has reportedly been reduced to rubble.
The local authorities rushed to the spot after being informed about the incident.
They started search and rescue operations after it came to light that some people may still be buried under the debris of the house, which was said to be 20 years old.
Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy had earlier in the day confirmed that six people had died in the incident.
He added that five of these were residents of the building itself, while one of the deceased was a neighbour.
The death toll rose to seven later, but there was no confirmation on whether the seventh deceased was a resident of the building, a neighbour or someone else.
While initial reports claimed that the collapse had happened due to an LPG cylinder blast, Reddy later told reporters: "Cylinders on both the ground and first floors had no gas in them, so it is unlikely that the buildings collapsed due to a blast."
Bengaluru Development Minister KJ George has since announce solatium for those affected by the incident. "We will give a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured," he said.
Meanwhile, the authorities managed to rescue a three-year-old girl from the debris of the building. Her parents are among those who died in the building collapse.
She was immediately given medical attention, and has been kept under treatment for her injuries.
George announced after her she was extricated from the debris: "The state government will adopt the girl who was rescued, and will take care of all her expenses."
Watch the video of the girl's rescue here:
#WATCH: Girl child rescued from Ejipura building collapse site in Bengaluru. Her parents died in the incident,govt has decided to adopt her. pic.twitter.com/jZcI1VHAf5
— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2017
