Indore, April 1 (IANS) Ten persons were killed and two seriously injured when a four-storeyed dilapidated hotel building collapsed here after a car crashed into it, a police officer said on Sunday.
Deputy Inspector General Hari Narayan Chari Mishra told IANS that the MS Hotel near the crowded Sarvate bus stand collapsed on Saturday night.
The hotel Manager Harish Soni was among the dead.
The dilapidated building, said to be 80 years old, came crashing down, burying persons staying in the hotel, some passersby and shops under the rubble.
District Collector Nishant Warwade earlier told the media that the district administration, Municipal Corporation, police, fire brigade and traffic police were carrying out a search and rescue operation. The National Disaster Response Force team from Bhopal was also asked to help.
Kiran Soni, daughter of the hotel Manager, told the media that the hotel's roof had crashed last week. She said though the owner was informed he ignored it.
Even as search and rescue operations ended on Sunday afternoon, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ordered a high-level probe into the tragedy and asked for a report in seven days.
The government also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
The police officer said a seven-member team of police officers has been set up to find if the building collapsed due to the car hit or for some other reason.
