CHENNAI: One construction worker died and 29 others were injured when a four-storey building under construction collapsed, in a Moulivakkam-like incident, off Old Mahabalipuram Road on Saturday evening.While all the injured were rescued moments after the collapse that occurred at 7.15pm on MGR Road off Taramani, and were taken to hospitals, NDRF personnel who carried out the rescue mission found one person dead. The victim was found crushed under a huge girder that had fallen on him.According to the NDRF chief, 60 NDRF workers, 30 state disaster relief force personnel, 60 fire and rescue services personnel, and 60 city policemen were involved in the rescue operation. Earlier reports said the collapse of iron girders and scaffolding at the storage shed of a hospital building on MGR Salai at Perungudi was accompanied by thunder-like roar, which some locals mistook for high-decibel fireworks.M Lakshmi, whose family lives opposite the building, said, “We heard a loud crashing noise, but mistook it for fireworks. Only when the earth shook we felt the impact, and realised that something big had happened nearby.”Heaps of metal rods fell on a nearby buildings, damaging the sunshades of two houses, she said. Another resident, Y Nirmala, said that immediately after the crash and loud noise, power went off. Residents of all six flats near the building vacated the place in panic, moments after the incident.A police officer said the collapse occurred because workers placed iron girders in big plastic cans and poured concrete mixture, but tried to fix the iron scaffolding even before the concrete in plastic cans could solidify. Loose mix of concrete gave way under the weight of workers and iron rods, he said.At least 10 ambulances rushed to the spot, minutes after the crash was reported at around 7.15pm. "We do not take patients to private hospitals, usually, but this time the target was the nearest ambulance and nearest hospital, said Prabhudoss of EMRI.Fire and rescue service personnel from Guindy, Raj Bhavan, Saidapet, Tiruvanmiyur and Adyar also reached accident spot. Around 30 firemen were deployed in rescue work, and they started clearing the crashed scaffolding, besides evacuating people living nearby.NDRF personnel, who have their camp at Indira Nagar, located about 3km from the accident location, reached the site only around 9.30pm. Rescue works, however, picked up speed on their arrival, as they were equipped with necessary implements. As the incident drew curious crowd of onlookers, police had tough time cordoning off the area to ensure smooth and swift rescue operation.

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