?A man works in front of the collapsed building in Kolkata, India, on July 23, 2018. At least two people were killed and few others injured on Monday after an old building collapsed in eastern Indian state of West Bengal, police said.(Xinhua/Stringer)
NEW DELHI, July 23 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were killed and few others injured on Monday after an old building collapsed in eastern Indian state of West Bengal, police said.
The building collapsed in Sealdah area of Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal.
"Early today a two-storey dilapidated building at Baithakkhana Road here came crashing, killing two people and injuring few others here," an official with disaster management cell said. "The inmates were said to be sleeping inside the building when it crumbled."
The city has been receiving rains for the past three days.
According to locals, the building over 100 years old was declared unsafe by local civic officials.
The bodies have been retrieved from the debris, officials said.
Reports said many people used to take shelter inside the building during night hours, however in wake of Sunday only a dozen were inside it.
Construction experts blame the lax administration and corruption in India for flouting building rules that often results in using poor quality materials, inadequate supervision, and poor safety standards for workers.
