Officials added "the bar was functional".
Three people were killed as roof of the popular Sekhmet Bar collapsed in Chennai 's busy Chamiers Road in the Alwarpet area on Thursday.
Investigators say the roof of the first floor collapsed. There are conflicting reports on what had led to the roof collapse. Officials added "the bar was functional".
Some are pointing fingers at the metro rail work underway opposite the bar. Abash Kumar, the state fire services chief, told NDTV: "Two people have died. They have been identified as workers. Rescue teams are working to see if anyone else is trapped".
The Chennai Metro rail claims the bar roof collapse is not due to the Metro Rail work.
The Metro Rail work is 240 feet away and no vibrations have been noticed in the building," said a statement from the Chennai Metro Rail, adding that "on the spot investigation is underway".
"We are checking if any major impactful operation was underway around that time in the metro rail work," said Prem Anand Sinha, Joint Commissioner of Police.
Meanwhile, authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the roof collapse.
Experts are examining the structural stability of the building.
"We would also want to do an audit on buildings near by on the impact of the metro rail work," said G Dharmarajan, Joint Commissioner of Police, Chennai East.