The lintel of a two-story under-construction building at a railway station collapsed, leaving more than 20 people trapped and sparking a massive rescue operation.

The incident occurred at a railway station in Kannauj, Kannauj district, Uttar Pradesh, northern India, on January 11.

Visuals from the site show a laborer fixing shuttering when the roof collapsed. Footage reveals that a beam lifted by the laborer struck the shuttering, causing it to slip and fall.

According to reports, the collapse happened around 2:20 PM on Saturday when a scaffold supporting a newly constructed framework under the Amrit Bharat Yojana, covering a 7,500 sq. ft. area, gave way. The construction was part of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), intended to enhance infrastructure at Kannauj railway station.

Approximately 40 workers were present at the site. By Sunday afternoon, the debris was cleared entirely, and no workers were found trapped. Emergency response teams, including the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), rescued 28 workers. Among them, 23 sustained injuries. The most seriously injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, with three referred to King George’s Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow and two to LLR Hospital in Kanpur. Eight individuals remain in critical condition.

Kannauj District Magistrate Shubhrant Kumar Shukla visited the site on Sunday morning and expressed relief over the successful rescue operation.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated on Saturday that an investigation into the collapse has been initiated. He called the incident “very unfortunate” and assured immediate action was taken. Minister of State for Social Welfare (Independent Charge) Asim Arun monitored the rescue efforts and confirmed that 23 people had been injured—20 with minor injuries and three with severe injuries. He added that the collapsed building was the new terminal of Kannauj railway station, constructed under the Amrit Yojana.

Mahesh Kumar, present at the site, recounted a narrow escape. He said, “As soon as the concrete was poured on the shuttering, it suddenly collapsed. Everyone on it fell. I was standing on the edge and managed to escape.”

The entire platform area has been cordoned off with barricades to ensure public safety. Inspector General of the Railway Protection Force, Mohd Tariq, along with senior railway officials, inspected the site.Taking cognizance of the accident, Northeast Railway formed a three-member high-level committee to investigate the incident. They announced compensation of Rs 50,000 for those with minor injuries and Rs 2.5 lakh for those seriously injured.