Cold storage collapse claims 1 life, 19 hurt

 

COOCH BEHAR, Aug. 13: The rooftop of a cold storage collapsed at Chakchaka in Cooch Behar today leaving one dead and 19 injured.

 

It was learnt that downsizing of the height of the 62-feet high Chakchaka Samabay Himghar (cold storage) run by a co-operative society was going on since 1 August following a notice served by the administrative authorities of the district. The work was going on under supervision of public works department to decrease the height by 18-and-half feet. The demolition work was undertaken to pave the way to resume the air service using the nearby Cooch Behar Airport.

 

Today, at about 11-30 a.m. the rooftop fell down suddenly when the workers were busy in dismantling it. Soon after the incident 20 injured workers were sent to MJN Hospital where one person died. Some injured were released after first aid and eleven persons are under medical care. The killed one was identified as Suleman Mian (35). The condition of another one is serious, hospital sources said.

 

On getting the information Cooch Behar SP Mr Anil Kumar and a large contingent of police from Kotowali police station rushed to the spot. Arriving quickly there, the fire service personnel started rescue operation and sent the injured to the hospital. Cooch Behar-II Panchayat Samity sabhapati Mr Dhaneswar Roy, Chakchaka Gram Panchayat pradhan Mr Abani Das and other officials visited the place of occurrence.

 

Cooch Behar (North) MLA Mr Dipak Sarkar inquired the condition of the injured workers at MJN Hospital. He demanded Rs 5-lakh as compensation for the death and Rs 1-lakh for each injured. Demanding an inquiry he opined that more safety measures should have to be taken during the dismantling of the roof. Alleging lack of proper safety measures for the workers the Cooch Behar District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh and district BJP president Mr Nityananda Munsi demanded a high level probe into the incident and adequate compensation for the victims. []