Mumbai Building Collapse: Amid the chaos, residents extend a helping hand

Mohammed Ilyas Qureshi would not stop talking through the speaker he was handed the moment the Hussaini building collapsed.

"A person who was announcing could not do it properly. He asked me to do the needful," said Qureshi, who made announcements asking people to come forward and help as well as help clear out a passage for authorities to function smoothly. A resident of Temkar Mohalla, Qureshi, who works as a driver for an app-based taxi service, was present at the site the entire day.

He was not the only one. Scores like him rushed to the spot to help.

"I stay in the neighbouring building. One of my cousins was downstairs. When the building collapsed, he informed me and we rushed to help. The response of the authorities was good," said Usama Shaikh, who runs a mobile shop on the same street, and helped clear debris.

"Initially, we first thought it was a fire but when we reached the spot, we realised the building had come down," said Faizan Mansuri, a resident of Chor Bazaar, who stayed back and help.

People not only helped with traffic and to clear debris but also provided water and food.

"I run a jewellery shop. When I heard of the collapse, I brought rice and dal for people there," said Sameer Ansari, who was seen distributing food.

While Rizwan Khan a caterer had arranged free of cost lunch and refreshments for all who were present at the site, other shopkeepers from the area provided food, water and refreshments for free to all. People also distributed free food to relatives of injured persons at JJ Hospital.

What was more commendable was the much before the rescue teams could reach the spot, the local residents themselves managed crowd and began rescuing people inside the debris and managed to save precious lives.