Bhubaneswar: CuttackDistrict Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde on Sunday ordered an inquiry into the collapse of the balcony of an old apartment building in the city. Three persons were killed and three others injured when the balcony of the old apartment building collapsed and fell on them in Cuttack, Shinde said.

Speaking to mediapersons, the Collector said the injured persons are undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital, and their health condition is stable. The government and district administration have provided compensation to the victims, he said. Shinde said a four-member committee, led by the Additional Commissioner of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC), will conduct the investigation and submit the report within 24 hours. “It was alleged that the building is in an unsafe condition, and the planning permission was violated. So, the panel will probe into these angles and submit the report,” the Collector said. After getting the report by Monday evening, necessary action will be taken on the basis of the findings, he said. “We will see whether it was just an accident or happened due to violation of norms or instructions made for unsafe buildings. Accordingly, action will be taken,” Shinde said. He said the district administration would take steps to vacate all unsafe buildings one by one, following due procedure and Supreme Court guidelines. After completion of the ongoing Bali Yatra, a meeting of department officers concerned will be convened to finalise the further course of action, he added.

Meanwhile, Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra said the State government is expediting the process to demolish unsafe government buildings in the State. It is the duty of the Works department to identify the unsafe government buildings, which will be demolished, he said. Similarly, the private unsafe buildings need to be demolished by the owners, he added.

Three persons, including a minor boy, were killed and three others seriously injured when the balcony of the old apartment building collapsed and fell on an adjacent house here on Saturday. The incident took place at Mani Sahu Chhak in Cuttack and all the affected persons belong to one family and were staying at an asbestos-roofed house close to the old apartment.

“The balcony of the apartment fell on our house. My husband, son and grandson died in the incident,” said the woman of the house. The deceased persons were identified as Abdul Jalil (60), Abdul Zaheed (30), and Abdul Mujahid (5).

Fire Service personnel rescued all six persons and took them to SCB Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared three of them dead, police said.

Barabati-Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdous, who visited the spot and met the family members of the victims, said: “There are several unsafe buildings in the city, and those should be immediately sealed and repaired. The administration must inquire into the circumstances that led to the death of three persons,” she said.

The local people alleged that the building was earlier declared unsafe by the city authorities. However, despite repeated warnings, it was neither demolished nor vacated, they alleged.