Ambala Building Collapse, June 17: A nearly 70-year-old dilapidated building collapsed late Tuesday night in the Old Vegetable Market area near Dokhamba Chowk in Ambala City, leaving two people injured and triggering a major rescue operation.
According to local authorities, the building suddenly gave way and crashed down, sending debris across the surrounding area. Two individuals standing near the structure were trapped under the rubble and sustained injuries.
The injured have been identified as Rakesh Kumar (22), a vegetable vendor and resident of the Old Vegetable Market, and Kashmiri Lal (65), a resident of Ram Nagar. Both victims were rescued from the debris and shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Eyewitnesses said panic spread through the market area immediately after the collapse. Residents and shopkeepers rushed to help the victims before emergency services arrived.
After receiving information about the incident, teams from the Fire Department and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) reached the site and launched a rescue and relief operation. Officials conducted a thorough search of the debris to ensure that no one else was trapped beneath the collapsed structure.
Authorities believe the building was in a severely deteriorated condition and had become structurally unsafe over the years. The incident has once again raised concerns about old and abandoned buildings in congested market areas.
Local administration officials have initiated an investigation into the collapse and are assessing whether nearby structures also pose a safety risk. Residents have urged authorities to identify and demolish dangerous buildings before similar incidents occur.
The rescue operation continued for several hours as teams cleared debris and secured the area to prevent further accidents.