By Gulf News Report
A portion of a three-storey building at the Government Medical College in Kottayam collapsed early Thursday, triggering panic on campus and prompting a swift emergency response. No fatalities were reported.The building, which formerly housed the orthopaedics ward (14th ward), had already been declared unfit for use and was officially out of operation, media reports said. At the time of the collapse, three people 鈥 two women and a baby 鈥 were inside the structure. All were rescued with only minor injuries, according to officials on the scene.Health Minister Veena George and Cooperation and Registration Minister V. N. Vasavan visited the site shortly after the incident and confirmed that the collapsed structure had been decommissioned and was not in clinical use. Nearby wards were evacuated as a precaution, and authorities have launched a structural investigation..8 UAE-India pacts: Friendship hospital, IIM campus in Dubai; maritime cooperation in Kerala.鈥淭he building had been taken out of service, and the orthopaedic department had been shifted to a new block. We had already decided to demolish this part,鈥 Veena George told reporters. 鈥淲e are relieved that there were no major injuries or casualties.鈥滶mergency services, including fire and rescue teams, quickly arrived and cordoned off the area. Visuals from the scene showed heavy concrete debris and partially collapsed walls. Officials have begun a safety audit of other old and unused buildings on the campus to prevent similar incidents.The incident has raised fresh concerns over the maintenance and monitoring of ageing infrastructure in public hospitals. While no patient treatment areas were directly affected, the collapse has led to calls for faster demolition of unsafe buildings and stricter protocols for structural audits.Public Works Department (PWD) engineers and the college authorities are conducting a full assessment to determine the exact cause of the collapse. Preliminary observations suggest material degradation and water seepage may have contributed.The government is expected to announce further safety measures following the completion of the probe.