Baby among eight killed in Mumbai building collapse

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, July 25

A three-month-old baby was among eight people killed in a building collapse in Mumbai’s eastern suburb Ghatkopar on Tuesday morning.

According to police, both the wings of the four-storeyed Saidarshan building located in Ghatkopar's Damodar Park came down a little before 11 am this morning, trapping women and elderly residents who were at home.

At least 30 people are still believed trapped under the ruins.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Survivors blame the collapse on a construction work on the ground floor of the building by a local Shiv Sena leader. 

Residents said Snea leader Sunil Shitap was building a guesthouse on the ground floor. He was unreachable for comments, but officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said they would question him soon. 

Residents claim that the construction had weakened the 35-year-old building, which, they claim, was previously in good shape and was not listed dangerous.  

Chief Fire Officer P Rahangdale told reporters that 14 fire tenders and two rescue vans were sent for rescue operations. The state government immediately sent National Disaster Relief Force teams to the site.

Authorities overseeing the rescue said 18 people had been pulled out from under the rubble until evening and have been sent to hospitals for treatment.

Mumbai mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar told reporters that the civic body has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Eyewitnesses claimed they heard a noise that sounded like a clap of thunder in the morning.

"I came out of my building and found lot of dust and heard cries and noise of people seeking help. I saw parts of the building collapsing," an eyewitness who lived nearby said.

A resident whose mother and two other family members are feared trapped in the rubble said the chances of their surviving looked grim.

Rajesh Diyora, another resident, claimed he left for work before the collapse.

The city has been witnessing heavy rain since several days now.

Mumbai police blocked traffic on Lal Bhadur Shastri road to provide a 'green corridor' to the rescued. With PTI