Pratapgarh house collapse kills 6 of a family; CM Yogi expresses grief
Synopsis
A century-old house in Pratapgarh collapsed in the early hours of 6 August, killing six members of the Srivastava family while they slept — the lone survivor, Aman Srivastava, dug himself out of the rubble and watched helplessly as rescuers pulled out the bodies of his parents, brother, wife, and two young children.
Key Takeaways
Six members of the Srivastava family were killed when a nearly 100-year-old house collapsed in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh on 6 August .
The collapse occurred in the early hours of the morning; all seven family members were asleep in the same room at the time.
Lone survivor Aman Srivastava was rescued from the debris and is under clinical observation.
District Magistrate Abhishek Pandey cited an outdated roof construction technique as a preliminary cause; heavy rainfall is believed to have compounded the structural failure.
CM Yogi Adityanath conveyed condolences via a post on X and officials assured relief measures within 24 hours .
Six members of the Srivastava family were killed after a nearly 100-year-old house collapsed in the Mahuli locality of Pratapgarh district, Uttar Pradesh, in the early hours of Thursday, 6 August. The lone survivor, Aman Srivastava, was rescued from the rubble and is currently under clinical observation at a hospital.
What Happened
All seven family members were asleep in a single room on the second floor of the dilapidated structure when the roof gave way. According to District Magistrate Abhishek Pandey, the room had an air-conditioner installed and the roof was constructed using an outdated building technique. 'Preliminary findings suggest that the roof, built with this outdated method, collapsed,' Pandey told reporters.
Heavy rainfall in the region is believed to have worsened the structural vulnerability of the ageing building, which falls under the Kotwali police station area. The house belonged to Pramod Srivastava.
The Sole Survivor's Account
Recounting the tragedy, Aman Srivastava said: 'When I woke up, I realised I was buried under the debris. I somehow managed to get out and saw that all my family members were trapped. I first tried to rescue them myself, but I couldn't, so I started shouting for help. Family members, neighbours, and others gathered at the spot. All seven of us were sleeping in the same room. My parents, my younger brother, my wife, and our two young children were inside. I was rescued, but they all died.'
Rescue teams rushed to the site and pulled the victims from the debris. Aman remains the only survivor of what officials described as the near-total loss of an entire family in a single incident.
Government Response
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the deaths in a post on social media platform X. 'The loss of life in an unfortunate accident in Pratapgarh district is deeply saddening. My condolences are with the bereaved families. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed souls a place at his holy feet and a speedy recovery to the injured,' he wrote.
District Magistrate Abhishek Pandey and Superintendent of Police Deepak Bhukar visited the collapse site, inspected the scene, and met Aman Srivastava. Pandey said he had spoken to Aman and assured him that all eligible government benefits and relief measures would be provided within 24 hours.
Context and Concern
The incident is part of a recurring pattern of monsoon-season structural collapses across Uttar Pradesh and other states, where ageing buildings — many over a century old — are pushed beyond their limits by sustained rainfall. Authorities have repeatedly flagged such structures as hazardous, yet demolition and relocation drives have seen inconsistent follow-through at the district level. This tragedy, which effectively wiped out an entire family overnight, is likely to renew calls for a systematic survey of dilapidated buildings ahead of peak monsoon months.
Point of View
Dilapidated buildings are a known hazard across Uttar Pradesh's smaller districts, and monsoon season reliably turns structural neglect into body counts. The fact that an entire family was sleeping in one room of a 100-year-old house with a compromised roof points to a deeper problem: the absence of proactive hazard surveys and enforceable relocation orders. District administrations typically respond with condolences and ex-gratia payments after the collapse, not before it. Until structural audits of century-old buildings are treated as non-negotiable pre-monsoon protocol — and not just a post-disaster checklist — scenes like Pratapgarh will repeat.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the house collapse in Pratapgarh on 6 August?
Preliminary findings by District Magistrate Abhishek Pandey indicate that the roof of the second-floor room, constructed using an outdated building technique, gave way. Heavy rainfall in the region is believed to have further weakened the nearly 100-year-old structure, triggering the collapse.
Who were the victims of the Pratapgarh house collapse?
Six members of the Srivastava family were killed, including the parents, a younger brother, wife, and two young children of survivor Aman Srivastava. The house belonged to Pramod Srivastava and is located in the Mahuli locality under the Kotwali police station area.
Is there any survivor from the Pratapgarh house collapse?
Yes. Aman Srivastava was the sole survivor among the seven family members who were asleep in the room at the time of the collapse. He managed to free himself from the debris and raised an alarm before rescue teams arrived. He is currently under clinical observation at a hospital.
What relief has the government promised to the survivor?
District Magistrate Abhishek Pandey personally met Aman Srivastava and assured him that all eligible government benefits and relief measures would be provided within 24 hours. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also expressed condolences and directed officials to stand firmly with the family.
Why do house collapses increase during the monsoon season in Uttar Pradesh?
Many older buildings across Uttar Pradesh — some over a century old — have structurally compromised roofs and walls that are further weakened by sustained rainfall and waterlogging. Without regular structural audits or proactive relocation of residents from hazardous buildings, the monsoon season consistently sees a spike in such collapses.
