Trapped foreman found dead in Bathinda cold storage facility

After an extensive eight-hour rescue operation, the body of a foreman trapped under the debris of a collapsed cold storage facility at Bhagta Bhai Ka village, about 45 km from Bathinda city, was recovered late Wednesday night. The deceased has been identified as Sohan Singh.

The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon when the cold storage unit, located on Bagha Purana Road, suddenly collapsed, leaving at least three workers trapped beneath the rubble. Two of them were rescued within minutes by local volunteers, while the third worker remained buried until rescue teams could retrieve his body.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local police and volunteers worked continuously at the site through challenging conditions. Rescue efforts were hampered by scattered debris and an ammonia gas leak, which posed additional risks to those involved in the operation.

Preliminary information suggests that the collapse may have been triggered by an explosion of an ammonia gas cylinder, although the exact cause is yet to be officially confirmed.

The facility, reportedly around 20 years old, was primarily used for storing potatoes. Some vehicles, including a car, were also trapped under the debris during the collapse.

Sources said that the same cold store had collapsed in 2016 as well, and no loss of life was reported.

Eyewitnesses reported a loud noise was heard when the building collapsed.

Local volunteer groups and residents played a crucial role in the rescue operations. The SDM and DSP had reached the scene shortly after receiving information and supervised the rescue work. Authorities have said that a detailed investigation would be conducted to determine the exact cause of the incident