4-Year-Old Killed as Abandoned House Wall Collapses in Nabarangpur

Umerkote (Nabarangpur): In a tragic incident, a four-year-old girl lost her life and two other minors were injured after a wall of an abandoned house collapsed in Kamabandha village under Bakadabeda panchayat of Jharigaon block in Nabarangpur district on Thursday afternoon.

According to reports, the three girls—identified as Yamuna (4), Damayanti and Jyoti—were playing on the village road when they sat on the veranda of an abandoned house located beside the road. Suddenly, a weakened wall of the structure gave way and collapsed on them, burying the children under debris.

Hearing their screams, villagers rushed to the spot and managed to rescue the girls from the rubble. An ambulance was called immediately. However, as Yamuna’s condition was critical, villagers rushed her to Umerkote hospital on a motorcycle. Doctors at the hospital declared her brought dead.

The other two girls were admitted for treatment. Hospital sources said Damayanti suffered a leg fracture, while Jyoti sustained minor injuries. Both are reported to be out of danger.

The incident has plunged the village into shock and grief. Locals alleged that Yamuna might have survived had the ambulance arrived in time, raising concerns over delays in emergency response services.

Villagers also stated that the abandoned house had been in a dilapidated condition for a long period and had weakened further due to continuous rainfall in recent days. They alleged that no preventive measures were taken despite the potential danger posed by the unsafe structure.

The incident has once again highlighted concerns over unattended dilapidated buildings in rural areas and underscored the need for timely identification and removal of unsafe structures to prevent such tragedies.