Kolkata, Feb 10 (IANS) Two people died after a heavy iron rod fell from a multi-storey building in West Bengal’s Howrah city, police officials said on Tuesday.
The accident took place on Tuesday afternoon in a multi-storey building adjacent to the Howrah Municipal Corporation.
The names of the deceased have been identified as Sheikh Irfan and Khokon.
Officers of Howrah Police Station reached the spot after receiving the news of the accident and are investigating the incident.
The work of welding the rod was going on in the stairwell of the trade centre near Howrah Municipal Corporation since Tuesday morning.
During the welding, a heavy iron rod suddenly fell down. At that time, there were some people under the multi-storey building.
Local residents said that many traders kept their goods in that trade centre.
The market was in Howrah’s Mangalahat on the fateful day.
Hat trader Sheikh Irfan came to the multi-storey building with his friend Khokon to keep his goods when the heavy rod fell on them following which they were seriously injured.
The duo was taken to the Howrah state general hospital where the doctors declared them dead.
Following the incident, there was a commotion surrounding the accident.
The officers from Howrah police station arrived at the spot.
When they went to the roof of the multi-storey building, they saw that iron rods and other materials were scattered all around.
It is said that the work was going on without any safety measures.
No safety net was installed.
According to the police, they are investigating the entire matter.
Sheikh Islam, brother of the deceased Sheikh Irfan, told local reporters, “We had come to store the things. I was also there. The iron rod fell on the heads of my brother and Khokon. Then the workers looked from above to see what had happened. But, no one came forward to help. After about 20 minutes, the police came. Only then the two were taken to the hospital.”
He raised the question of how the work was being done on the roof without any safety measures.
–IANS
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