This is the terrifying moment a school canopy came crashing down on a crowd of children during Independence Day celebrations in India – killing an eight-year-old boy and seriously injuring two others.
CCTV captured the horror as youngsters gathered outside Al-Hasan Public School in Madala Fatehpur village, in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh, on Saturday (15 August) morning.
The children had reportedly come to watch the school’s Independence Day programme when several climbed onto the porch above the main entrance.
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But the structure suddenly buckled under their weight, sending the canopy crashing down and trapping three children beneath the rubble, as reported by Need To Know.
Footage shows youngsters gathered around the entrance moments before the structure suddenly gives way.
Terrified children scatter as debris comes crashing down, while others are left trapped underneath.
Neighbours who heard the screams rushed to help and pulled the youngsters from the rubble before they were taken to hospital.
Eight-year-old Nizam, the son of Naeem, later died, police said.
Two other children, named Saif Ali, 11, and Shaidana, 10, were injured and taken for medical treatment.
Police said those caught up in the collapse were from the surrounding neighbourhood and had gone to the school to watch the celebrations.
The district administration has now launched an investigation into the tragedy.
Initial inquiries suggest the porch collapsed under the additional weight of children who had climbed on top of it.
The horror unfolded as India marked its 80th Independence Day on Saturday, with celebrations taking place across the country.
Officials are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collapse and whether further safety measures are needed at the school.
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