The death toll in the hotel collapse in Himachal Pradesh mounted to 14 on Monday, including thirteen defence personnel, after a four-storey building in Kumarhatti collapsed on Sunday where Assam Rifles troopers were holding a party.

Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday visited the site at Kumarhatti in Solan district in which about 42 persons including 30 defence personnel and 12 civilians were trapped.

In the tragic incident, 13 defence personnel lost their lives while 17 sustained injuries whereas one civilian also lost life while 11 got injured.

Thakur, along with Minister Rajiv Saizal, MP Suresh Kashyap and Assembly Speaker Rajiv Bindal, also met the rescued people during his visit.  He said as per his information, the structure was not built as per construction specifications. He ordered the registration of an FIR against building owner Shail Kumar, who was away along with his two children, when the structure collapsed.

The Chief Minister while monitoring the rescue operation being jointly conducted by the NDRF, State Police and district administration, directed the administration to provide all possible help to the NDRF personnel for ensuring that the operation was carried out smoothly.

Thakur also visited Maharishi Markandeshwar Medical College at Kumarhatti and Civil Hospital Dharampur to enquire about the health of injured. Chief Minister while wishing a speedy recovery to the injured prayed to the Almighty to give peace to the departed souls.

Interacting with reporters,  the Chief Minister said that as many as three companies of NDRF were rushed to the spot to ensure immediate rescue operation. The state government provided state helicopter to airlift the NDRF team with latest equipments from Suni.

The incident took place at around 4 p.m. on Sunday when soldiers, belonging to the 4th Battalion of Assam Rifles from nearby Dagshai Cantonment, were having a party at the roadside eatery-cum-residential complex which caved in due to weak foundation.

The building was located on the Kumarhatti-Nahan road, around 55 km from Shimla.

The Deputy Commissioner said first, the fourth floor of the building collapsed and then the entire building caved in. Three companies of the NDRF were involved in the rescue operation. The state deployed the Chief Minister's helicopter to airlift an NDRF team with its equipment from Sunni in Shimla district.

Locals blamed unscientific construction methods and violations in the granting of construction-sanction for the building collapse.