5 killed as bus stand collapses in Coimbatore

the debris were killed on the spot, while one woman died at the government hospital here. A portion of the bus which was parked near the bus stand was damaged in the incident.

The concrete ceiling of the roof of the bus stand, for a length of about 50 feet collapsed all of a sudden and buses too were parked near it.

Commuters at the bus stand and passersby who were caught by surprise began to run helter-skelter. Those who could not move were caught under the debris, the police said. Ambulances were rushed to the spot and the injured were taken to hospitals, they added.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami condoled the deaths and announced a solatium of Rs four lakh each to their families from the state disaster relief fund. “I express my sympathies and condolences to the families of the victims,” he said in a statement. The chief minister said that he directed the district collector and hospital authorities, where the injured were admitted, to ensure best treatment to them. He sanctioned

Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 each to those with severe and simple injuries respectively from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund.

The Chief Minister said that he had asked the Local Administration Minister SP Velumani and District Collector TN Hariharan to expedite the relief operations and also meet relatives of the deceased.