7 dead as Bengaluru hospital wall collapses in rain, CM orders probe

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Apr 30, 2026: Seven people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed and seven others injured after a compound wall at Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in Shivajinagar collapsed on Wednesday evening. The collapse is suspected to have been caused by heavy rain and the added load from nearby construction on the decades-old structure.

The wall, around 12 feet high and one foot thick, caved in at about 5.45 pm, trapping more than a dozen people beneath the debris. Many of them were street vendors, shoppers, or passersby who had taken shelter from the rain.

Local residents immediately rushed the injured to the nearby hospital before rescue teams arrived, officials said.

An eyewitness, a vendor in the area, said, “It started raining around 5 pm along with a thunderstorm. Suddenly, around 5.45 pm, the wall collapsed. Bodies had to be pulled out from under the rubble. Many were injured, and some may have suffered severe limb injuries.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Vikram Amathe said the deceased included two women, four men and a young girl. He added that three of the injured were from Kerala and were in Bengaluru on a visit.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the hospital and announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh for the families of each deceased. Expressing anger over the incident, he reprimanded hospital staff and Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) officials for alleged negligence. He ordered a detailed inquiry to determine the cause of the collapse and fix responsibility.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said the debris had been cleared from the site.

Rescue operations were initially delayed as fire tenders struggled to reach the spot due to traffic congestion caused by fallen trees in the surrounding area.

Emergency services reportedly received 27 distress calls within seven minutes of the incident, reflecting the scale of panic.

As a precaution, Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) disconnected power supply in the area to prevent further risks during rescue efforts.

Cause of collapse

Preliminary findings suggest that the wall may have weakened over time due to the additional load from ongoing construction. Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad said mud from construction work at the Adi Shakthi Temple within the hospital premises had been piled up against the wall, further weakening it.

The structure, believed to be around 30 years old, eventually gave way during the thunderstorm. Residents have blamed the GBA for failing to monitor construction activity and ensure structural safety.

Grief and anger

Families of the victims expressed deep grief and frustration.

Mohammed Suhail, who lost his brother in the incident, said, “My brother had been selling footwear here for years. He leaves behind a wife and two young children. I feel lost without him.”

Another relative, Ahmed Khan, criticised the authorities, saying, “After such incidents, people come to express condolences, but nothing is done to prevent them in the future.”

MLA Rizwan Arshad noted that the vendors had been operating in the area for decades and were licensed. “We did not remove them following High Court orders,” he said.

The injured

Preethi (51), Sija (45), and Maya (51) — all from Ernakulam district in Kerala — were among those injured, along with Jabeen Taj (47), Mubeen Taj (49), Azzu (35), and Mohammed Sajid (21), a native of Bihar.