One dead in roof collapse at Burdwan railway station

Kolkata: A man, who sustained serious injuries when a portion of the Burdwan railway station building collapsed, died on Sunday morning, police said.

The unidentified man, seeming to be in his mid-30s, had been on ventilation at the state-owned Burdwan Medical College Hospital following a head injury received when a portion of the portico beside the enquiry counter near the station’s main entrance gave way on Saturday evening.

As many as five persons were injured in the accident. One of them, Hopna Tudu, a resident of Gaibandha in Jharkhand, is hospitalised with a leg injury.

Meanwhile, a three-member enquiry panel formed after the incident visited the station on Sunday and recorded the statements of eye-witnesses including railway personnel. The committee has been asked to submit its report within 10 days.

The committee has also appealed to those who were present at the spot during the incident to come forward and give their statements to the panel between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Monday.

While the part of the portico came down at around 8 p.m., some more chunks of concrete crumbled twice later in the night.

Train services remained largely unaffected by the collapse, even though platform numbers one and two were closed due to safety reasons.

On Sunday, railway personnel, and civil defence teams were seen clearing the rubble.

Sources said the 164-year-old station, considered a heritage structure, was undergoing beautification and renovation work for over a year.