From correspondents in Punjab, India, 06:03 PM IST

At least five people - three children and two women - were killed when they were trapped under loose earth after a dumper-truck partially overturned in Sector 31 here Sunday afternoon, police said.

Three others who were dug out by rescuers were rushed to the nearby Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) where doctors said that their condition was serious.

'Five people, including three children, have died in this incident. We are searching for any more people trapped under the truck and the mud,' area Deputy Superintendent of Police J.S. Khaira said.

All the victims belonged to families of labourers working on nearby under-construction buildings who had come to the area to collect scrap when the mishap occurred.

The incident took place when a big dumper-truck arrived in the open area to dump loose earth and other 'malba' (construction waste). As the material was being dumped, the earth under the truck gave away and the loose earth in it fell on the people waiting below to collect scrap.

Police and fire brigade personnel rushed to the spot, in Sector 31's institutional area.

'We are digging the earth to rescue those who have been trapped under it,' one fire brigade personnel said.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)