Building collapses in northern India, killing 13

The collapse of an under-construction building in northern India has left 13 members of a family dead.

A building under construction in the northern Indian city of Mughalsarai, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) southeast of Uttar Pradesh’s state capital of Lucknow, collapsed overnight, Indian police said Sunday.

Members of a family of weavers, who were sleeping on the ground floor, including two children under eight years old, “were buried alive,” when the partially built structure came down, said Superintendent Chandauli Muniraj.

While three people managed to flee the rubbles unhurt, twelve died at the scene, and two wounded were taken to a hospital, Muniraj said.

He further added that one of the injured victims succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.

Noting that the construction was done in a hurry, and “within a month, they built two stories,” Muniraj promised to “investigate the cause of the collapse.”

Building collapses are frequent in India as developers use substandard materials or add unauthorized floors. High housing demand and lax regulations have resulted in construction of multi-storey buildings without adequate supervision.

The death toll in two other separate building collapses in India was reported at 38 in July 2014.

Nearly 35 people died in similar incidents in the country’s western state of Goa and southwestern state of Tamil Nadu last January.