VASCO: A portion of ceiling of third floor flat of a building along the Swatantra Path in Vasco collapsed on Friday evening injuring five occupants. It is learnt that the building named ‘Happy Apartment’ was build 36 years ago.
In all, nine persons were staying in the flat owned by M D Salim (41) with Husna (40), Mehjabi (35), Rukayya (28), Gulshanchan (24), Samrin (19), Zaiduddin (24), Tasniya (5) and Yusuf (2) being other occupants. As per information from Vasco fire personnel and Vasco police, the incident occurred at around 7.30 pm.
The injured persons have been shifted to Goa Medical College (GMC) and Hospital at Bambolim from Sub-District Hospital Chicalim.
Upon hearing the deafening sound, some youth who were nearby rushed to the site and rescued the occupants from the debris and also helped the medical team shift the injured persons to the sub-district hospital at Chicalim.
Vasco PI Nalasco Raposo besides police sub-inspectors John Fernandes, Harish Gawas, Vikas Deykar and Prashant Bhagat and other police personnel cordoned off the area.
Station fire officer Bicholkar said that he will write a letter to the district collector South Swapnil Naik, deputy collector and sub-divisional magistrate Mormugao Gaurish Shankhwalkar and Vasco PI Raposo to declare the building unsafe.
People have been advised to stay away from the building. Vasco police and fire personnel camped in the vicinity of the building till Friday late night. Vasco fire station has stationed two fire tenders in the vicinity.
Meanwhile, Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida also rushed to the site and directed police and fire services officials to take preventive measures to avoid further damage to the building. He asked authorities to evict occupants to avoid further loss to property and human life. It is learnt that there are about 12 flats in the building.