3 dead, several trapped after battered building collapses at Jharkhand hospital

Three people died and twelve others were rescued after part of a dilapidated building at MGM Hospital in Jharkhand’ Jamshedpur collapsed late Saturday night. According to police officials, fifteen people were initially reported trapped under the debris. A search operation is underway to recover one remaining body.

“Two bodies have been recovered after part of a dilapidated building at MGM Hospital in Jamshedpur collapsed. Information was received that fifteen people were trapped. Twelve of them have been rescued,” said East Singhbhum SSP.

Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari visited the site on the instructions of Chief Minister Hemant Soren. “Our priority is to stand with the families of the deceased. They will be given Rs 5 lakh each as compensation, and the injured will receive Rs 50,000. We will take concrete steps to ensure that such an incident does not happen again,” he said.

The minister added that he, along with the Additional Chief Secretary of the Health Department, reached the site during the night and held an emergency meeting with the district administration. “NDRF and district officials are carrying out rescue operations. A high-level investigation has been ordered, and strict action will be taken against those responsible within a week,” Ansari said.

Expressing condolences, he said, “The tragedy caused by the collapse of a part of the building is extremely sad. May God give peace to the departed souls and strength to their families.”

Meanwhile, BJP leader Pratul Shah Deo strongly criticised the state government. “This is a tragic incident, but we do not consider it an accident. These are deliberate killings of the poor by the system. The Chief Minister admitted that the building was dilapidated—so why was treatment still being conducted there? Why wasn’t it repaired?” he said.