A rain-soaked, 40-year-old boundary wall in Sakchi fell like the proverbial ton of bricks on Thursday morning, providentially injuring no one in the densely crowded area, but prompting civic guardian Jusco to immediately start a survey of all such structures in the city.

A portion of the 12-feet-high wall that caved in around 11.30am, had enclosed the water filtration plant along Mango-Sakchi Road, barely 30 metres from MGM Medical College and Hospital gates.

Eyewitnesses said some six-eight fruit-sellers who normally vend on pushcarts in the wall's shadow, were saved as they didn't turn up on Thursday, presumably busy with the upcoming Id celebrations.

A popular snacks vendor, who sells rolls and chow mein every evening on the spot, could also have been fatally injured had the timing gone awry by a few hours.

The boundary wall, while crashing, knocked an electric pole into bending, together blocking the road.

Within minutes, vehicular communication on the road came to a standstill. Auto-rickshaws, cars and two-wheelers stood stranded for 45 minutes after which a Jusco team came to clear the rubble.

Snacks vendor Govind Prasad, just opposite the wall, said they all thanked their stars that they had a lucky escape. "I can't forget the thud I heard," Prasad said.

Asked about the cave-in, Jusco spokesman Rajesh Rajan said: "Yes, it is a wake-up call for us. We have started surveying boundary walls in the city to prevent a similar occurence."

Asked why this particular wall fell, Rajan said: "It had been constructed about 40 years ago and may have weakened due to the passage of years and the recent rains."