Maharashtra: Building collapses in Bhiwandi; 2 dead, several feared trapped
At least two people were killed and five injured when a four-story building collapsed in the Bhiwandi city of Maharashtra near Mumbai in the wee hours of Saturday. According to officials, the building was in a dilapidated condition and the incident took place when residents were being evacuated from the building. Ten people are feared trapped in the debris. Here's more.
Rescue operations at the building collapse site
Residents evacuated after cracks seen in the building
According to reports, cracks were seen in the building following which the municipal department evacuated 22 families from the building on Friday night. But some people went back inside the building to collect their belongings after which it collapsed, trapping many of them.
It's an 8-year-old building built illegally: Municipal Commissioner
"Four people have been rescued so far (from the debris), out of which one is dead and two are critically injured," Ashok Rankhamb, the Commissioner of Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. "It is an 8-year-old building and was built illegally," he added. He also said that an investigation will be launched into the matter.
People informed us the building may collapse: Rankhamb
"People had informed us that the building may collapse. I along with officers reached the spot and asked to vacate the building. People had vacated the building but then some people went inside to pick their luggage. Meanwhile, the building came down," Rankhamb said.
Here's what Municipal Commissioner Rankhamb said
Fire brigade, NDRF launch rescue operation
According to Santosh Kadam, the Disaster Management Officer, the fire brigade along with the personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have launched an operation to rescue people trapped in the debris. The incident comes over a month after a four-story building collapsed in south Mumbai's Dongri on July 16, killing more than two dozen people.
