At least 20 people killed in roof collapse during funeral in India

Rescue workers spent hours searching rubble for survivors of collapse, which occurred in Ghaziabad near New Delhi

NEW DELHI:

Rescue workers spent hours searching the rubble for survivors of the collapse, which occurred in the city of Ghaziabad on the outskirts of New Delhi.

Local media reported that 38 people were rescued, while at least 15 were injured and taken to hospital, according to the Press Trust of India.

गाजियाबाद: मुरादनगर में बारिश की वजह से छत गिरी, क़रीब 10-12 लोगों के फंसे होने की आशंका है। बचाव अभियान चल रहा है। pic.twitter.com/1WUHO5MLys

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Around 40 mourners had gathered under the shelter at a crematorium in the district of Ghaziabad when it collapsed, trapping them under the rubble, divisional commissioner Anita C Meshram said.

"We have a confirmation of 20 bodies thus far but the number may rise," local police officer Mahipal Singh told AFP, adding that the cremation had been for an elderly individual who was not a Covid-19 victim.

"They took shelter under the newly constructed structure... The structure could not bear the rain and collapsed, leaving these persons dead."Prime Minister Narendra Modi late Sunday tweeted his condolences to the victims' families.

Rescue workers used sniffer dogs to find survivors, who were rushed to nearby hospitals, some in critical condition. Senior police officer Ijaj Raja later said the rescue operation had been completed.

The cause of the collapse was not immediately clear, but the authorities plan to investigate the accident.

“We will conduct an enquiry into the matter and find who is responsible- whether it is the builder, officials, or workers of the municipal council, as soon as possible,” Meshram said.

Building collapses are frequent in India. Many firms use cheap materials and bribe officials to evade regulations, while on-site safety is lax.