Maharashtra building collapse: One more body found, death toll rises to 4

The body of a man was recovered on Sunday from the debris of a two-storey building which collapsed in Bhiwandi town of Maharashtra’s Thane district, taking the toll to four, an official said.

Fifteen people were still feared trapped, Thane Municipal Corporations Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) chief Avinash Sawant said.

12 injured

Twelve people were injured after the structure collapsed like a pack of cards at 1.45 pm on Saturday at Wardhaman Compound in Valpada area, officials said.

The building had godowns on the ground and first floors, while four families occupied the upper floor. Some workers were present on the ground floor when the structure collapsed, Sawant said.

Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were carrying out the search and rescue operation, he said.

A container and two tempos which had come to the godown for were also crushed.

Rescue operations on

Sawant 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.

“It is feared that nearly 15 persons might be trapped. We are keeping our fingers crossed. Everything will be clear only after these floors are cleared,” he said.

Ten fire engines, ambulances, trucks and earth-moving machines were also pressed into the relief and rescue operation, he added.

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 Bhiwandis IGM Hospital late Saturday night.

Shinde announces compensation

The CM 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.

Bhiwandi Deputy Commissioner of Police Navnath Dhavle told PTI that offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code have been registered against the structure owner, Indrapal Patil.

No arrest has been made so far, he added.

The building was about 10 years old and possibly could not take the load of a mobile tower recently installed on top of it, according to a civic official.

(With Agency inputs)