PRATAPGARH: A heart-wrenching major incident has come to light from the Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh. Amidst continuous torrential rain, an approximately 100-year-old dilapidated house in the Mahuli locality under the Kotwali Nagar police station area suddenly collapsed. At the time of the incident, seven members of a family were sleeping in a single room. As the house caved in, everyone was trapped under the debris. In this horrific accident, six family members lost their lives, while one son managed to escape from the rubble and save his life.

Entire Family Sleeping in a Single Room

Providing details about the incident, Circle Officer (CO) City Ashutosh Mishra stated that the dilapidated house in Mahuli was about a century old. Only one room of the house had an air conditioner (AC) installed, due to which all family members were sleeping in that same room on Thursday night because of the humid and rainy weather. Around 2 AM, the old house suddenly collapsed, trapping everyone inside. Among the seven people, Pramod Srivastava, his wife, son, daughter-in-law, and two young children of the family died under the debris, while only one son miraculously succeeded in getting out.

Police and Fire Brigade Engage in Rescue Operations

Hearing the loud crash of the collapsing house, local residents rushed to the spot immediately and informed the police. Locals attempted to initiate rescue work on their own, but due to the heavy volume of rubble, extracting people safely proved extremely difficult. Upon receiving information, CO City Ashutosh Mishra, the Kotwali Nagar police, the fire brigade team, and a heavy police force promptly arrived at the scene. The rescue team launched a war-footing operation to clear the debris using JCBs and other essential equipment. After hours of intense effort, all trapped individuals were pulled out and rushed immediately to the medical college, where doctors declared six of them dead after examination.

Continuous Rain Identified as the Main Cause of Disaster

According to preliminary investigations and details, the continuous heavy rainfall over the past few days had completely weakened the walls and roof of this old and fragile house. It is suspected that due to continuous seepage and water accumulation, the entire structure suddenly gave way at night. The district administration has initiated a thorough investigation into the matter and is also verifying whether any prior complaints or administrative warnings had been issued regarding the dangerous condition of the house.

Mourning Grips the Entire Area, Administration Issues Warning

The sudden and tragic deaths of six members from the same family have sent a wave of shock and grief throughout the Mahuli area and Pratapgarh district. Following the accident, a large crowd of local residents gathered at the site. The district administration has assured the grieving family of all possible financial and administrative support. Additionally, administrative officials have strongly appealed to residents in the region to avoid staying in dilapidated or weak houses during heavy rainfall to prevent such fatal accidents and loss of life.