10 killed, 14 injured in Mumbra building crash

A three-storey building collapsed early on Friday near Mumbra in Thane killing 10 people and injuring 14.

At least 23 people were rescued though many are still feared trapped in the debris of the building, the police said. The injured are being treated at various hospitals in Mumbai, Kalwa and Thane.

The 35-year-old ‘Shruti’ building at Bazarpeth in Mumbra collapsed after midnight when residents were fast asleep, police said. Children, including a two-month-old girl, were among those killed.

“We got a call from Mumbra around 2.30am and four fire engines were sent to the spot. The rescue work is on,” said a fire officer from the Wagle Estate fire brigade.

Top district officials, including mayor Harishchandra Patil, acting municipal commissioner Shyamsunder Patil, Thane district collector P Velrasu, police commissioner KP Raghuvanshi and others supervised the relief and rescue operations.

Though the Thane municipal corporation had declared the building dangerous and occupants were served with an eviction notice some time ago, nine families continued staying in it. The ground floor had some shops while the second floor was empty. People were staying on the first and third floors.

Mayor Patil said the civic body would soon make arrangements to shift people from dilapidated and dangerous buildings to new rented apartments.

This is the second major building collapse in the past 10 days. On June 10, an old four-storey building collapsed at Mahim, killing 10 and injuring six.

On April 4, the state’s worst-ever building collapse happened at Shil Phata in Thane, killing more than 70 people and injuring 60. (With agency inputs)