Death toll in Mumbai hoarding collapse rises to 14

Mumbai, May 14

The death toll in the hoarding collapse incident in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area has risen to 14 while 74 people have been injured, civic officials said on Tuesday morning.

The 100-foot-tall illegal billboard fell at a petrol pump during dust storms and unseasonal rains that lashed Mumbai on Monday.

According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials, search and rescue operations are going on at the Chheda Nagar-based petrol pump on Tuesday morning.

Of the injured, 31 people have been discharged from Rajawadi hospital, a BMC official said.

The search and rescue operation is under way, the official said. NDRF has deployed two teams for the operation being carried out with Mumbai Fire Brigade and other agencies.

The billboard was illegal and no permission was taken to install it, as per civic officials.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the site on Monday night and ordered a structural audit of all hoardings in the city.

“The hoardings, if found illegal and dangerous, would be removed immediately,” he said.

“It is a very unfortunate incident. The government will probe it, and the people responsible will face action. I have asked the BMC commissioner to conduct a structural audit of all the hoardings in the city. Those found illegal and dangerous will be removed,” Shinde told reporters.

He announced an aid of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of each person killed.