Chennai: Residents of a four-story apartment building had magic runaway in Tiruvottiyur here on Monday morning when it fell only a few minutes after the last of them walked out with fear because the walls had developed a gap.
The driver of the Urban Habitat Development Board in Village Street has 24 flats that hold 80 people.
Some of them have moved to a friend’s house and relatives on Sunday night.
The rest spent a nervous night in their home, with falling plaster bits and buildings groaning.
About 9.45 in the morning a local activist arrived for the video of the building and asked those who remained behind to move.
At 10:10 a.m.
everyone left the building.
Residents said the building collapsed 10 minutes later, even when they stood outside.
Many families lost a lot of their belongings as they planned to shift things later.
Fire and rescue personnel have begun cleaning debris.
They also carry sniffer dogs to the site to check if anyone is trapped under the rubble.
Minister of Man Chief M K Stalin announced a 1 lakh sollatium for each affected family and said they would be given alternative housing.
In a statement, he said the building that collapsed was built in 1993.
Enumeration will be carried out to identify the old premements.