An 8-year-old boy from the Seven Hills area in Mannadi, Chennai, died after the roof of his house collapsed due to rains on Thursday. This is the second such rain-related death to be reported from the area in a span of a week.
The deceased, identified as Alan, was in class 2 and was studying in a private school in George Town. His father, Sureshkumar, is employed as a labourer in the Koyambedu market complex while his mother works as a domestic help in the locality. The couple also has a daughter, 11-year-old Mercy Angel, who is in class 6.
At 3:30 am, the terracotta roof of their hut, located in Shanmugarayan street, came crashing down on the deceased, his mother and sister. The incident happened while Sureshkumar was in the bathroom. Hearing the crash, he reportedly rushed in to rescue the three from the debris. While he was able to rescue his wife Kalaivani immediately, the children, who were sleeping, were trapped under the debris. Both the mother and sister were rescued but sustained injuries from the roof collapse.
With the help of neighbours who contacted the Fire and Rescue Department, the family was able to retrieve Alan. The boy had sustained critical injuries and was taken to the Stanley Medical College, where the doctors declared him dead.
A case has been registered by the N3 Muthialpet police station under section 174 of the CrPC. The police said that the building was a 60-year old structure constructed on temple land. The post mortem of the deceased was completed at the Stanley Medical College and the body handed over to the family.
“Both the mother and the sister are now fine. They were not admitted as they did not suffer serious injuries and were rescued in time,” an officer from the station told TNM.
Last week, a 42-year old woman died in Mannadi after a portion of the wall of her house came crashing down due to heavy rains. Serena Banu died instantly after sustaining grievous injuries as the wall collapsed while the family had been sleeping.
The incident had taken place at 6:20 am on Iypannan street where the family had been living on rent in a temple property for several years. Serena lived with her mother and two children. The three others were rescued following the wall collapse and moved to a safer location in the neighbourhood.
Local police sources told TNM that the house had a weak structure and had been in a dilapidated condition, which led to the collapse following the rain.
Also read: 42-year-old woman dies in Chennai, as a wall of her house collapses in rain
Source: The News Minute