Bathinda: A video went viral on Friday showing a two-storey house collapsing like a pack of cards within minutes in Dhilwan village of Barnala district on Tuesday. The structure was reportedly already at risk due to water seeping into its foundation and weakening it during the incessant Aug–Sept rains.The family was out of town at the time of the incident, and neighbours captured the collapse on a mobile phone. The house had been constructed in 2018 at a cost of Rs 49 lakh.Junior basic teacher (JBT) Puran Singh, the owner of the hosue, said on Friday that he built the house by raising a loan in 2018 and was preparing to solemnise the marriage of his 23-year-old daughter and 25-year-old son in the coming months. All belongings, including furniture, were damaged when the building collapsed.“Even as we suffered a huge financial loss, which we may not be able to be compensated for in any way, we are still thankful to the Almighty that we are all safe, as we were away. The incident could have happened sometime when we were at home,” said Puran.The neighbours and village residents reached out to Puran Singh and demanded compensation for the aggrieved family, as the house came down due to incessant rains. MSID:: 128308740 413 |
