Mumbai: A four-storeyed residential building in Mumbai’s eastern suburb of Ghatkopar, near Shreyas Cinema, collapsed leaving eight dead, more than 15 injured and around 30 people still trapped under the debris.
The injured were taken to Rajawadi Hospital and Shantiniketan Hospital in Ghatkopar. Those rescued from the building, Sai Darshan, stood out crying for their loved ones trapped under the rubble as members. The Fire Brigade and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are still continuing rescue operations. Among the dead included a three-month girl while a one-year-old boy was rescued with minor injuries. Six women are also reported to be among the dead.
During the rescue operation, a firefighter Ganesh Khandge and his colleague suffocated due to a gas leak while trying to rescue a woman and had to be in the hospital.
The Shantiniketan Hospital received 11 injured people, some with minor injuries and four who are currently in the ICU.
P.S. Rahangdale, chief of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) fire brigade department, said they were alerted about the collapse at 10.43am.
A private hospital on the ground floor of the collapsed was being renovated and therefore there weren’t many patients. But several news reports said that a Shiv Sena office bearer, Sunil Shitap, owner of the hospital, allegedly removed a column for renovation in spite of opposition from those living in the building. His wife had contested the BMC election on a Sena ticket. This could have weakened the structure leading to the collapse, locals alleged.
Hundreds of residents of old, dilapidated buildings in the city have died through the years when buildings come crashing down, especially during the monsoon. Though the BMC gives notices to residents to move out of such buildings, many stay on in these structures for want of alternate accommodation. At times, BMC officials turn a blind eye to extensive alterations in the buildings which also cause such disasters.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnvais has ordered an inquiry into the incident and two-member committee has to submit the report in 15 days.
Residents living near the building said they heard a loud crash and then the area was filled with dust. The Mumbai Police cordoned off the area while traffic was blocked on the Lal Bahadur Shastri Road and diverted towards Eastern Express Highway to provide easy access to relief vehicles.
It is still not clear whether heavy rains in Mumbai for the last fortnight caused the mishap or because it was an old building as it was not listed in the dangerous category, according to local residents. Around 80 buildings have been notified as dangerous by the BMC in this locality.
