The death toll in the collapse of a two-storey building in Bhiwandi in Maharashtra’s Thane district reached five on Sunday afternoon after the body of man was recovered from the debris even as search and rescue operations continued more than 24 hours after the incident.
The building in Wardhaman Compound in Valpada area of Mankoli, which housed godowns on the ground and first floors and four families on the top floor, collapsed into a heap of concreteat around 1.45 pm on Saturday.
Nearly 10 to 20 people are feared to be trapped under the debris. Around three to four families were reportedly staying in the building on the second floor and some workers were working on the lower floors of the building, who are said to be trapped under the debris.
Several people are still feared trapped and work of clearing the debris as part of the search and rescue operation helmed by the National Disaster Response Force, the State Disaster Response Force, fire brigade and civic teams continued, the chief of the regional disaster management cell, Avinash Sawant said.#Bhiwandi में ३ मंजिला इमारत गिरने से आस पास के परिसर में मची अफरा तफरी १० से १५ लोगो की बिल्डिंग के अंदर दबे रहने की आसंका। #Mumbai #मुंबई #news #thane #palghar pic.twitter.com/jNXZ9Lzr3X
— Indian Facts News (@Indianfactsnews) April 29, 2023
He said the rescue teams have cleared the upper floor, but the ground floor and the first floor where most of the workers were working in the godowns have not been cleared so far. The building belongs to a popular food products company, Sawant added.
"Ten persons, including two siblings who lost their mother in the incident, are being treated for injuries. Ten fire engines, ambulances, trucks and earth-moving machines were also pressed into the relief and rescue operation," he further said.
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The deceased whose body was pulled out at 10:30am on Sunday has been identified as Sudhakar Gavai, while the man who was found dead in the debris in the afternoon is 22-year-old Pravin Chaudhary, the official said.
Earlier, one person named Sunil Pisa (38) was rescued at around 8 am on Sunday from the debris and rushed to IGM Hospital in Bhiwandi, Narpoli police station’s senior inspector Madan Ballal said.
As per reports, a two-and-a-half-year-old boy was rescued from the debris by the team.
A building has collapsed in #Bhiwandi,10 people feared trapped,police team including fire brigade and disaster left for the spot. More details awaited.#Thane#Mumbai pic.twitter.com/A0zJMSf4fV
— Siraj Noorani (@sirajnoorani) April 29, 2023
Several users have also shared visuals of the incident on social media showing the scale of damage.
Heart Breaking Visuals
Shocking Incident at BhandupG+2 Building collapsed in the Bhandup Area.10-12 people were trapped in the incidentRescue operation underway by the Fire brigades and Disaster Management Team#Bhiwandi #Shocking #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/8V18xiIEU8— Kumar Ankit (@Kumar_Ankit03) April 29, 2023
Bhiwandi Deputy Commissioner of Police Navnath Dhavle told PTI offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code have been registered against the structure owner Indrapal Patil though he is yet to be arrested.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde termed the incident as "most unfortunate" and visited the collapse site as well as the injured persons undergoing treatment in Bhiwandi’s IGM Hospital late Saturday night.
CM Shinde told reporters he has instructed Thane Collector Ashok Shingare and other authorities to immediately carry out a survey of the structures declared ’most dangerous’ in the district and shift people living in them to safer places before the onset of monsoon.
Shinde said cluster development, where several buildings on a large area are developed to give people monetary advantage of scale, was the only solution to the problems arising on account of the dangerous buildings.
He has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the deceased, while medical expenses of the injured would be borne by the state government.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
First Published: Apr 29, 2023 4:05 PM IST
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