Portion of SAIL building's roof railing falls on multiple cars in Chowringhee

A portion of the parapet of the seven-storey Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) building on Chowringhee Road collapsed late Sunday night, damaging three private cars and injuring one person. The injured individual, identified as 32-year-old Ritesh Pandey from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, was seated inside one of the cars when the incident occurred.  

The collapse took place around 11:30 pm when a section of the parapet, measuring approximately 15 feet in length and 2 feet in width, fell onto the area in front of the building. Thankfully, the area was not crowded at the time, which likely prevented more severe injuries or fatalities.  

“This area is typically bustling with vehicles and pedestrians during the day. It’s fortunate the incident happened late at night when the street was mostly empty,” an official from Shakespeare Sarani police station remarked.  

All three damaged vehicles were privately owned. Ritesh Pandey, who suffered minor injuries, was immediately rushed to a nearby private hospital on Shakespeare Sarani. After receiving treatment, he was discharged shortly afterward.  

The incident highlights concerns over the structural integrity of older buildings in the city. Officials are investigating the cause of the parapet collapse and assessing whether additional measures are needed to ensure safety in the vicinity.