Anganwadi's roof collapses in Tripunithura; no casualties

Tripunithura: A major tragedy was averted when the roof of an Anganwadi building operated by Kandanad Junior Basic School here collapsed on Thursday morning. The incident occurred around 9.30 am, but fortunately, the children had not yet arrived at the Anganwadi.

The lone staff member present, Aaya Lisy Xavier, managed to escape unharmed after hearing the sound of the crumbling roof. Speaking to Manorama News, Lisy recounted the terrifying moment:

“When I was sweeping inside the building, I heard some noise but ignored it and stepped outside to clean the verandah. Then I heard a loud crash. Without wasting a moment, I ran outside. Earlier, a part of the roof had fallen on me, and we had immediately filed a complaint with the panchayat authorities,” she said.

The building, which is over 100 years old, is reportedly in a state of severe decay. Panchayat officials confirmed that it had previously served as a classroom for the Basic School. Recently, all classes except the Anganwadi were relocated to a new facility. The old building had also been used as a polling booth during elections and as a venue for grama sabhas.

Panchayat authorities stated that the roof had been repaired earlier after complaints about leaks during rain. However, the structure remains unsafe due to its advanced age and deteriorating condition.