Gujarat building collapse: All 15 workers rescued, investigation underway

A major accident was reported in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar after a portion of an under-construction commercial complex collapsed in the Kudasan area on Wednesday night. The incident triggered a massive rescue operation after several workers were feared trapped beneath the debris. The collapse took place at Bosky The Empire, an under-construction commercial project in Kudasan, at around 9 to 9:30 pm. A large slab and metal structure reportedly gave way while construction work was underway.

All 15 workers rescued

According to officials, all 15 workers trapped in the collapse were eventually rescued. Twelve workers were admitted to Gandhinagar Civil Hospital, while three workers who did not suffer major injuries were discharged. Officials said there have been no fatalitiesand the hospitalised workers are not in critical condition.

Gandhinagar SP Ravi Teja Vasamsetty said three workers had already been discharged. Ten men suffered minor injuries, while two workers sustained more serious injuries, one with a spinal injury and another with a fracture. Officials said the workers came from different locations, including Dahod, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, and had been brought to the site by the contractor.

Workers pulled out one after another

The rescue operation involved the SDRF, NDRF, Gandhinagar Fire and Emergency Services, police, district administration and medical teams. SDRF Deputy Commandant Sheetal Gujjar said the team reached the site within around 20 minutes of the incident. Rescue personnel first pulled out several workers trapped beneath the debris, while some others were able to walk out after being extricated from the collapsed structure. Around 60 SDRF personnel and multiple fire brigade teams were deployed.

Rescue teams used plasma cutters, gas cutters, concrete cutters and heavy machineryto cut through the collapsed structure and reach the workers. Although the site manager and supervisors indicated that everyone working at the location had been accounted for, authorities continued clearing the debris as a precaution to ensure that nobody remained trapped underneath.

What the rescued workers experienced

The workers were pulled out from underneath a large quantity of metal and concrete debris and were immediately shifted for medical assessment. While authorities have not yet released detailed individual accounts from the rescued workers, officials involved in the operation described a frantic rescue effort in which workers were extracted one after anotherfrom beneath the collapsed slab. The administration's immediate priority was to rescue everyone alive, provide medical treatment and ensure that no worker remained trapped. Health Minister Praful Pansheriya said the injured were being closely monitored and that specialist doctors and medical teams had been deployed at the Civil Hospital.

What caused the collapse?

The exact cause of the collapse remains under investigation. According to Gandhinagar SP Ravi Teja Vasamsetty, the incident occurred while construction work was underway at the site. Initial reports have suggested that a crane may have struck a portion of the ceiling, triggering the collapse, although this has not yet been conclusively established.

A technical investigation is expected to examine the construction process, structural stability, equipment used at the site and whether prescribed safety protocols were followed. Gandhinagar Collector Ravindra Khatale said a detailed investigation by the Corporation's technical team would follow the rescue operation.

Ministers visit injured workers

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, Health Minister Praful Pansheriyaand Gandhinagar MLA Ritaben Patelvisited the injured workers at Gandhinagar Civil Hospital. The ministers reviewed their treatment and the medical facilities available to them. Officials said none of the patients was in critical condition.

However, the incident has once again raised questions about construction-site safety and the safeguards in place for workers at rapidly developing construction projects. Authorities are now expected to complete the debris-clearing operation and conduct a detailed technical probe to establish exactly what caused the structure to collapse and whether there were any lapses in safety procedures.