Seven people died and seven others were injured on Wednesday after a portion of a compound wall near the government-run Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in Bengaluru collapsed amid heavy rains, officials familiar with the matter said. The Chief Minister of Karnataka announced $5 thousand salts to the families of each deceased, free treatment for the injured, and an investigation to determine the causes of the accident.
The incident took place around 5.30 pm in central Bengaluru’s Shivajinagar, when sudden heavy rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning, lashed parts of Bengaluru. Heavy rains, accompanied by hailstorms, fell on the city on Wednesday, paralyzing normal life. By 5.30 pm, the city recorded 78.0 mm of rain.
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A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said: “The Prime Minister’s Office has confirmed seven deaths following the tragic wall collapse near the Bowring Hospital building.”
The hospital, one of the oldest government-run institutions in the city, is located in a densely populated area with vendors and small businesses frequently operating along its perimeter, especially near the pedestrian walkways adjacent to the buildings.
Initial accounts indicate that traders set up stalls on both sides of the road near the hospital morgue, selling goods such as sheets, fruits and children’s toys. When the rain intensified, many remained in place to protect their goods, while others across the region took shelter along the wall.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the site later in the evening and announced compensation $5 thousand pounds for each family of the deceased. He added: “We will conduct an investigation, and if anyone is proven responsible, the necessary measures will be taken against him.”
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In a statement issued later on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said that civil works were taking place inside the compound wall and the contractor was dumping soil on it.
He added: “At first glance, it seemed that it fell due to this pressure (from the thrown soil). So I asked the engineers – the executive engineer and the assistant executive engineer – whether they had checked whether it was weak or not.”
He also inquired from officials about the state of the structure and coordination between departments.
He said, “What action did you take? Were you not even able to search an old wall? Is there no coordination between you? If you had been vigilant, this tragedy could have been avoided.”
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HT reached out to the hospital for a response but had not received one at the time of going to press.
According to officials, the dilapidated building collapsed during the rain, trapping those underneath it. Eyewitnesses said that people gathered under tarpaulins installed along the wall moments before the accident. One witness said: “The rain was very heavy and the winds were strong. People rushed to take cover near the wall. Within seconds, the wall collapsed.”
Residents and passers-by began rescue operations immediately, pulling people from under the rubble before emergency services arrived at the scene. A number of injured people were transferred to nearby hospitals to receive treatment.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said he broke off the meeting after being informed about the incident and was on his way to the site.
“I spoke with the police commissioner, that’s why I broke off the meeting and I will go to the site immediately. I will see how we can help and what needs to be done,” he said.
Opposition leader R Ashoka criticized the government and described the incident as preventable. “
The loss of innocent lives is not just an accident, but a state-sponsored disaster resulting from sheer administrative negligence.
He added that the government must assume its responsibility and ensure that such incidents are not repeated.
