A gallery in the Sant Vinobabhave Nagar slum in Amraiwadi area of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, collapsed on Wednesday, leaving nearly 20 residents trapped inside their homes and prompting a large-scale rescue operation by the city’s fire brigade.
The incident occurred in Block 12 of the residential slum when the gallery suddenly gave way, causing panic among residents.
Emergency responders arrived promptly, deploying multiple fire tenders and ladders to reach those stranded inside.
Gomtipur fire brigade personnel led the evacuation, with support from Ahmedabad police and the Municipal Corporation’s estate department (East Zone).
Officials reported that 8-10 residents have been rescued so far. Seven people sustained minor to moderate injuries and were provided immediate medical attention.
Authorities confirmed that no deaths have been reported. Evacuation efforts for the remaining residents are ongoing.
A fire brigade officer said, “We rushed to the spot immediately after receiving information. Our teams are working to evacuate all residents safely. Rescue operations are still underway, and we are ensuring that no one is left behind.”
Residents expressed concern over the condition of older structures in the area. One resident said, “We have been living here for years, and cracks were visible in the gallery for a long time. Today, we were lucky that no one was killed.”
The collapse comes shortly after a similar incident in the city’s walled area on January 29. In Navtad ni Pol, a house collapsed during nearby drainage work, trapping three people under debris.
Fire teams rescued the victims, however, 62-year-old Pushpaben Panchal died during treatment at Civil Hospital.
Local MLA Kaushik Jain had highlighted that many houses in the area are old and in poor condition, urging the Municipal Corporation to permit repairs and resolve disputes between landlords and tenants that hinder maintenance.
