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The roof of the Ghaziabad district site in Uttar Pradesh collapsed when dozens of people fled to escape the rain.
At least 19 people died when the roof of a shelter at a cremation center in northern India collapsed on Sunday, police said.
The roof of the site, in the district of Ghaziabad, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, collapsed when around 40 people took refuge under the structure to protect themselves from the rain, trapping them under the rubble, a said Division Commissioner Anita C Meshram.
Many of the victims were relatives of a local resident whose final rites were underway at the time, according to reports.
The cause of the collapse was not immediately clear, but authorities plan to investigate the crash.
“We will investigate the matter and find out who is responsible – whether it is the builder, officials or city council workers, as soon as possible,” Meshram said.
Meanwhile, the region’s police chief, Iraj Raja, told the dpa news agency: “The roof of the cremation compound, over 30 meters long, suddenly collapsed and 38 people were trapped. Nineteen people were killed at the scene or while being taken to two nearby hospitals.
Nineteen others were being treated in hospitals. The death toll could rise, as some of the injured were seriously injured, Raja added.
Rescuers were walking through the rubble to determine if there were more casualties, police said.
Local authorities said they have opened an investigation into the accident. They promised strict action if it was found that officials had been lax.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind sent their condolences, even as state agencies sent monetary compensation to relatives of the victims.
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