Two workers were killed when a crane collapsed on them at an under-construction building of Rajshahi Technical Training Center in Sopura area of Rajshahi city yesterday.

Of the two, Mostafizul Islam, 22, of Thakurmara-Sutahati area of the city, died on the spot. The other, Babu Miah, 35, of Ishwardi upazila of Pabna, succumbed to his injuries at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital two hours after the incident.

The bodies were handed over to their families following autopsies at RMCH morgue, said Zillur Rahman, officer -in-charge of Shah Makhdum Police Station.

The incident occurred at 9:30am when mixed concrete was being lifted to the second floor of the three-storey building using a small crane.

The project's local manager, Md Mamun, was near the site during the incident.

“All on a sudden the crane collapsed. The two workers were working with a concrete mixer just below the crane,” Mamun said. “I shouted at the labourers asking them to move away, but the crane fell on them in the blink of an eye.”

Meanwhile, the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments launched an investigation into the accident and initially found that a lack of safety measures led to the deaths.

“If the authorities cared for safety of the labourers, the deaths would not have occurred,” said Quamrul Hasan, deputy inspector general of the department.

 “The workers were not wearing any safety helmet,” he said, asking, “Why would the workers be allowed to work just below the crane?”

He said the department would file a case under labour laws against all the persons involved in the construction project.

Funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica), local construction firm Mukta International is building a three-storied dormitory of the government-run centre, said Mahbubur Rashid Talukhdar, principal of Rajshahi Technical Training Center.