Dhenkanal: At least four persons died and five others sustained severe injuries after a wall of an abandoned rice mill caved in near Alasua market on Station Road here Sunday morning.
The deceased have been identified as vegetable vendors Sangram Sahu, 25, of Chainpurpatna, Ramachandra Sahu, 32, of Gengutia, Abhimanyu Biswal, 65, of Gurujang under Sadar police limits and Mayadhar Mallick, 70, of Kamagara under Tumusinga police limits. They were rushed to the district headquarters hospital (DHH) here in critical condition where the doctors pronounced them dead on arrival.
Three of the injured persons Kina Behera, 45, Sarat Rout, 60, and Kamesh Patra, a security guard, were first admitted to the district headquarters hospital from where they were shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack after their condition deteriorated. Two others of Town Planning area here were discharged after primary treatment.
District Collector Nikhil Pawan Kalyan and Superintendent of Police Anupama James visited the spot and took stock of the situation. Kalyan also announced an ex gratia of `25,000 each from the District Red Cross fund to the next of kin of the four persons who died in the mishap.
Kalyan visited the injured persons at the DHH and enquired about their health.
“A notice would be served on the rice mill owner and subsequently action would be taken against him,” the Collector added.
According to Dhenkanal town police IIC Abhinab Dalua, green grocers were selling vegetables by the wall side of abandoned D Hansaraj rice mill when it suddenly crumbled on them. The wall collapsed all of a sudden while they were selling vegetables trapping four of them under the rubble.
The injured persons were buying vegetables from the vendors. At least 10 motorcycles were damaged in the incident.
A team of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), along with fire brigade personnel and police officers, carried out the rescue operation, Dalua said, adding that several vehicles, including two-wheelers and bicycles parked near the wall, were crushed under the debris.
On being informed, Town police accompanied by fire personnel rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. Town police registered a case and handed over the bodies to the family members after post-mortem.
The Dhenkanal Municipal authorities pulled down the abandoned houses in the marketplace after the incident.
Tension prevailed on the hospital premises after the relatives of the deceased persons demanded more compensation from the authorities. They relented after MP Mahesh Sahu, MLA Sudhir Kumar Samal, ADM Purnachandra Mishra, SDPO Sriharsha Mishra reached the spot and intervened. The ADM said the district administration had written to state government seeking more compensation.