A three-storey building collapsed on Friday near Dandu Road in Bangarapet city, Kolar district, Karnataka, while renovation work was underway on the ground floor. The building, owned by an individual identified as Raj Kumar, had been unoccupied for the past two months, according to Bangarapet police.
While no injuries were reported, the incident damaged the boundary wall of a nearby private school. Local authorities, including the fire brigade and Bangarapet police, conducted an inspection of the site and registered a complaint.
Officials indicated that structural warning signs had been visible on the building for two months, but the owner had not addressed them. Fire department teams remain at the scene with further action against the building owner under consideration as investigations continue.
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Last month, an under-construction building collapsed in Bengaluru's Babusapalya area, trapping around 20 workers beneath the debris amid heavy rainfall, officials reported. D Devaraja, DCP (East) Bengaluru, confirmed that five people lost their lives in the tragedy. Initial investigations indicate that the building’s collapse resulted in workers being trapped within the structure, according to a fire department official.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and Fire and Emergency Services were pressed into service to aid the recovery work.
The heavy rainfall last month led to significant disruptions across Karnataka, particularly in Bengaluru, where low-lying areas were submerged, causing severe impacts on daily life. Traffic issues have worsened with potholes reappearing on main roads, creating safety hazards for two-wheeler riders and impeding the flow of cars and heavy vehicles.