Disaster drill takes life of a 19-year-old girl in Coimbatore

COIMBATORE: On Thursday a disaster drill conducted in violation of all norms at a private college in Coimbatore costed the life of a 19-year-old girl when she jumped from the second floor of a building. Though a net was held by students on the ground, the girl hit a sunshade on the first floor and died instantly.

N Logeswari, a second-year undergraduate student at the Kovai Kalaimagal College of Arts and Science at Vellimalaipattinam, was reluctant to jump. A trainer prompted repeatedly and finally pushed her. She hit the sunshade and fell motionless on the net. She was rushed to a government hospital, but was stated to be dead on arrival. She had suffered injuries in the occipital region of the head and right neck.

Police said about 20 students were given training to jump through an emergency window. The college management had organised training on 'disaster management and first aid' on the college premises thursday morning. Arumugam, the trainer officer, who police said had a certificate from the National Disaster Management Authority to conduct training programmes, and had come to take the classes.

In the evening, he asked for volunteers to jump from the second floor of the college main building as part of the training programme. Around 20 students volunteered. A group of students held the net on the ground when others jumped from the second floor. It was an exercise on ways to escape from a building during a disaster.

"The girl said she was interested in jumping from the second floor, but later backed out. So, she was sent back by the trainer. Later, she gained confidence and told the trainer that she wanted to jump. However, when she got on to the sunshade, she was overcome by fear and was reluctant to jump. But the trainer kept prompting her and finally he gave her a push. Unfortunately, she hit the sunshade of first floor and suffered severe injuries on neck and head," said a student. Logeswari was rushed to a private hospital at Thondamuthur where she was given first aid and referred to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital. Doctors over there declared she was brought dead.