12 workers killed by wall collapse at India salt factory
Police officers stand next to debris after a wall collapsed at a salt factory in Morbi in the western state of Gujarat, India, on May 18, 2022.
PHOTO: Reuters
PUBLISHED ONMay 19, 2022 2:09 AM
NEW DELHI — 12 workers at an Indian salt factory were killed on Wednesday (May 18) when a 3-metre high wall collapsed on them, government officials said.
The incident took place in the town of Morbi in the western state of Gujarat. Police have launched an investigation.
"The wall collapsed when the workers were packing the salt and trapped them," Rahul Tripathi, Morbi's top police official told Reuters.
"Bodies of 12 workers were removed from under the debris. One worker is injured and is hospitalised."
Gujarat's labour minister, Brijesh Merja, told reporters efforts to find and rescue other workers who may be trapped were ongoing.
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Prime minister Narendra Modi called the tragedy "heart-rending" in a tweet and his office said families of the deceased would receive compensation.
Industrial accidents, mainly fires, are common in India due to lax safety regulations.