Mumbai: A-25- year old woman was killed and eight others, including a two-year-old boy and a woman, sustained injuries after a ground plus three-storied illegal building collapsed over a chawl in Bhiwandi on Tuesday night. Civic officials confirmed the incident which took place in Rasulabad, Bhiwandi. A building wall had collapsed earlier in the afternoon. Regional disaster management cell teams from Thane, the Bhiwandi fire brigade and one NDRF team rushed to the spot for rescue operations that went on for 12 hours.
A member of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said the situation has been brought under control. “The building was in a dilapidated state and was empty. It collapsed and fell on a nearby chawl, where some people were trapped. All have now been rescued, one person died,” said Mahesh Nalawade.
The deceased was identified as 25-year-old Khairunisaa Ismail Sayyad, while the eight who suffered minor injuries are Mariyam Shaikh, 9, Shafiyabi Yusuf, 60, MunnaBhai Chawla, 45, Mehrunisha Shaikh, 40, Zarar Ahmad Shaikh, 45 and Umar Ismail Sayyed, 2, Ayub Siraj Sayyed, 63, Khatunbi Ayyub Sayyed, 45. They all were taken to IGM hospital for treatment. Most of the injured were discharged after getting first aid.
The seven-year-old building, has been constructed illegally on Survey No 19 of Khoni village. According to civic officials, the landowner is Gullu Rakhana, while Faizan Suse is the builder and developer.
There were 32 one room and kitchen flats in the building and 25 families were in residence. After a wall of the building collapsed on Tuesday afternoon, the Khoni Gram Panchayat had the building evacuated.
Guardian minister Ekanath Shinde visited IGM hospital to meet the injured. He cited negligence of the builder as the cause of the mishap. “The building was constructed six years ago and the incident proves that it was not constructed well. It has collapsed due to builder’s negligence that claimed one life. Strict action will be taken,” he told reporters here.
(With input from agencies)
