Thane: In a shocking incident the slab at the rear of a 40-year-old ground plus one storey structure suddenly collapsed on Sunday, September 3 at around 12:35 am at Dhobi Talao Stadium at Darga Road beside Sahil Hotel in Bhiwandi in Thane district.
Two including one minor died in the incident while five persons were seriously injured.
Yasin Tadvi, regional disaster management cell (RDMC) chief, Thane said, "We received the information at the disaster management cell room on Sunday at around 12:35 am about ground plus one storey structure slab collapse in Bhiwandi. We were told that seven persons were trapped inside the structure. Soon after receiving the information the Thane Disaster Response Force (TDRF) along with the Bhiwandi fire brigade personnel reached the spot with one bus and three fire vehicle."
As per the eye witnesses the family on the first floor was buried alive under the rubble. Three to four seriously injured persons were taken to the hospital in a rickshaw.
Building's History and Safety Concerns
Ajay Vaidh, Bhiwandi-Nizampura Municipal Corporation (NMMC) commissioner said, "A slab of ground plus one storey structure which is not actually a building slab collapsed in Bhiwandi, resulting in death of two people. The relief work were carried out on the spot and the TDRF and fire brigade were deployed. The structure which is a 40-year-old was declared dangerous by the BNMC officials and even notice were sent for vacating it. Few residents vacated it and few were staying. The structure collapsed in the middle of the night in Gauripada Sahil Hotel area."
Injured Victims and Hospitalization
Vaidh further added, "Apart from the deceased two, five people are seriously injured. An 8-month-old baby is also included among the deceased. The Abdul Bari Jabab a ground plus one structure near Dhobi Talao Stadium is more than 40 years old. There is a loon factory on the ground floor and upper floor few people were staying. The Bhiwandi fire brigade after getting the information about the incident reached for rescue operations. The rescue team pulled out a total of seven residents buried under the rubble with the help of local citizens."
The BNMC chief Vaidh also visited the Al Moin Hospital in Bhiwandi to check the condition of the injure persons.
Rescue Challenges
Fire Officer from Bhiwandi Fire Brigade Sudhakar Pawar informed, "Initially, as the ambulance was not available on time, the injured residents who were pulled out from the debris were taken to the hospital in a rickshaw. The relief work hampered due to the fact that the structure was in densely populated area."
Injury update
The five persons who are injured has been identified as Momin Latif (65), Farzana Abdul Latif (50), Bushra Atif Latif (32), Kumari Adima Atif Momin (7) and Kumari Urusa Atif Momin (3) all are undergoing treatment at Al Moin Hospital in Bhiwandi. Urusa Momin has been discharged as her condition is stable. The deceased persons have been identified as Uzma Atif Momin (40) and Kumari Taslima Mauser Momin a 8 Months old baby.
The fire brigade officer said, "All the people trapped under the debris of the collapsed building at the site have been evacuated and the entire rescue operation was stopped at around 3:30 am."
