Death toll in Palghar building collapse rises to 17, rescue op on

The death toll in the collapse of an allegedly unauthorised building at Virar in Maharashtra's Palghar district has risen to 17 with the discovery of two more bodies, officials said on Thursday.

Police have arrested the builder of the four-storey structure, Ramabai Apartment, after the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) lodged a complaint, they said.

“Two more bodies have been located under the debris. The teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other rescue units are extricating them,” said Vivekanand Kadam, Chief of the Disaster Management Cell of Palghar District. Their identities will be ascertained subsequently, he said.

The building, housing nearly 50 flats, collapsed on an adjacent vacant tenement at Vijay Nagar in Virar area of Palghar, adjoining Mumbai, at 12.05 am on Wednesday, they said.

A one-year-old girl's birthday party was underway on the fourth floor when 12 flats in a wing of the building collapsed, trapping residents and guests under the debris, as per eyewitnesses.

Palghar District Collector Dr Indu Rani Jakhar on Thursday morning said that the death toll in the incident had gone up to 15 overnight.

The girl, whose birthday was being celebrated when the incident occurred, was among the deceased.

Six other persons, who were injured and rescued, were undergoing treatment in various hospitals, according to an official from the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC).

Emergency teams, including the NDRF, local police and fire department, continue to sift through the rubble to check if more victims are trapped.

The work of clearing the debris will continue to ensure no other person is trapped under the rubble, the collector told PTI.

“The work is almost complete, but we want to be absolutely sure before concluding the operation,” she added.

Kadam said the teams are working around the clock. “The goal is not only to recover those trapped but also to ensure no lives are put at further risk,” he said.

The authorities on Wednesday identified seven of the deceased.

They have identified eight more victims as Govind Singh Ravat (28), Shubhangi Pawan Saheni (40), Kashish Pawan Saheni (35), Deepak Singh Behra (25), Sonali Rupesh Tejam (41), Harish Singh Bisht (34), Sachin Nevalkar (40) and Deepesh Soni (41).

Eyewitnesses described the horrifying scene, where a moment of happiness turned to chaos in an instant.

"People were dancing and celebrating (during the birthday party) when suddenly the entire structure collapsed like a pack of cards," said a survivor.

The aftermath was marked by chaos and panic, with people screaming and accusing the builder of negligence.

Residents claimed that unlike previous incidents of building collapses where cracks or structural weaknesses were visible beforehand, there were no such warning signs here.

The sudden collapse has raised serious concerns over building safety and unauthorised constructions in the area.

Locals have alleged "lethargy and negligence" on part of the builder and authorities, with many demanding a thorough investigation into how the unauthorised structure was allowed to house so many residents without proper safety measures.

Police on Wednesday arrested the builder after the VVMC lodged a complaint.

Luckily, the chawl or tenement on which the building collapsed was vacant, District Disaster Management Officer Vivekanand Kadam earlier said.

As a precautionary measure, all the chawls around the ill-fated building have been vacated and occupants shifted to safer places, he said.

Constructed in 2012, Ramabai Apartment has 50 flats, and the collapsed part had 12 apartments, said Kadam.

A spokesperson of the VVMC had called the building “illegal".

The debris removal was delayed because officials initially struggled to bring heavy machinery to the crashed building located in a congested locality.

“All affected families have been temporarily housed at Chandansar Samajmandir. We are providing food, water, medical assistance, and other essential services," VVMC assistant commissioner Gilson Gonsalves said.