Extra floors added last year.
A building of Bhailalbhai & Bhikhabhai Institute of Technology (BBIT) in Vallabh Vidyanagar of Anand district collapsed late on Thursday night, creating panic in the area. No casualties were reported as the building was vacant when the incident occurred.
The collapse has raised serious concerns as more than 500 students had reportedly appeared for examinations in the same building earlier in the day. Eyewitnesses said the structure came crashing down with a loud noise, drawing crowds to the spot within minutes.
Police, fire brigade and local administration teams rushed to the site soon after the incident and sealed the area. Authorities have launched an investigation into the collapse. Sources said the building was old and renovation work had been going on. The second and third floors were reportedly added only last year, raising questions over structural stability and construction quality. Officials are also likely to examine whether proper structural safety audits had been conducted before the building was used.
Civil engineering and other departmental examinations are currently underway at the college. Students said hundreds of examinees had used the same building during the morning, afternoon and evening sessions on Thursday. “I wrote my exam here today and other papers were also scheduled. It was fortunate this happened at night. Had the building collapsed during the day, many students could have been injured,” said Uday Patel, a civil engineering student.
Paresh Mistry, estate officer of the Karamsad-Anand Municipal Corporation, said: “We instructed the authorities concerned to submit the structural stability reports and, until then, the building will not be used,” he said.