Mumbai: Following the first heavy rainfall of the season, Mumbai experienced two building collapse incidents in the suburbs on Sunday. In Vile Parle gaothan, two senior citizens lost their lives, while three individuals were successfully rescued. Another incident occurred in Rajawadi colony, Ghatkopar east, where three people were rescued, but two residents remained trapped on the first floor of a three-storey building. The rescue operation for the two trapped individuals continued until late evening.
In an important update received on Monday morning, the search and rescue operation at the Ghatkopar Rajawadi Colony was completed. After almost 23 hours of operation, dead bodies of both missing people were recovered from the rubble.
Incident Took Place A Day Ago
At 9:30 am on Sunday, a portion of a ground plus three-storey building collapsed in Rajawadi colony, Chittaranjan Nagar, Ghatkopar east. The basement, stilt parking, and the first floor of the building were severely damaged. The Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) and the National Defence Response Force (NDRF) immediately initiated the rescue operation.
A couple residing on the third floor was safely rescued, while no family was present on the second floor. However, Naresh Palande (50 years) and his mother Alka Palande (94 years), who were staying on the first floor along with their dog, got trapped. Fortunately, their son Aryan (20 years) managed to jump out of the window unharmed.
Visuals from the incident site emerged on social media:
St. Braz, Vile Parle Balcony Collapse incident
A portion of the balcony of ground plus plus two-storey building collapsed on St. Braz Road in Vile Parle Gaothan on Sunday afternoon. Due to a local festival in Gaothan, a band procession was going through the area during the incident. A family staying on the second floor was watching the procession when suddenly their balcony collapsed. Prishila Misauita (65yrs) and Robi Misauita, (70yrs) fell down on their heads, while their son got injured.
They were immediately rushed to BMC's Cooper hospital. But both were declared brought dead. Jude D'souza, a relative of the couple, said, "The building is 20 years old and the balcony area was weak." The condition of another resident, Sumitradevi (53yrs) injured in the collapse, is now stable. While the condition of other unknown injured is awaited. "To see this procession, some people had gathered on the chajja (extended portion of the building). Due to overload the said structure had fallen down. The building was old and and was not dilapidated," said BMC in its statement.
Civic Body Gives Details On the Incident
The MHADA layout at Rajawadi colony had row houses in 1960, which were later converted into bungalows in 1990. The collapsed building no. B/7/166 is owned by Rohit Kumar Chapatwala, who now stays overseas. The Palande family and Mihika Jambusariya were staying on the 1st and 3rd floors of the building. The civic officials from N ward confirmed that the building was not on the list of dangerous buildings.
Naresh Palande works as an estate agent and he has been staying with his family in the bungalow for more than 5 years, since his building went under redevelopment. His wife Varsha was at her mother's house in Mulund with her daughter when the incident took place. Aryan and Mihika refused to talk to the media. Shridhar Palande, uncle of Naresh said, "The bungalow was not dilapidated. NDRF are trying hard, but the heavy rains are making the rescue operation difficult."
"The team of NDRF and MFB went inside the building from the backside, tracing the location. But they found two slabs joined at one point and returned. The teams couldn't use gas cutters or heavy materials since the structure is tilted and weak, said a civic official.
