At least nine people were killed after a portion of a four-storey residential building collapsed in Maharashtra's Bhiwandi late on Thursday night, while several others are feared trapped under the rubble as a massive rescue operation continues.
The incident occurred around 11.30pm when the 'B' wing of the Kohinoor Building in the Balaji Nagar area of the powerloom town came crashing down. The building had been declared dangerous by the Bhiwandi-Nizampur municipal corporation and repair work was reportedly under way when the collapse occurred.
Officials said the building comprised 48 rooms, with 12 rooms on each floor.
Resident deputy collector Sandeep Mane said nine bodies had been recovered from the debris and shifted to a government hospital for post-mortem examinations. Authorities said four to eight people are still believed to be trapped beneath the rubble, although the exact number has yet to be confirmed.
According to municipal officials, residents heard loud cracking sounds coming from the structure between 8pm and 9pm on Thursday, prompting panic among occupants and neighbours.
Sensing imminent danger, local residents rushed to help evacuate families from the building. Many occupants managed to escape in time, but some reportedly remained inside to collect their belongings or were still attempting to evacuate when the 'B' wing suddenly collapsed.
The collapse triggered a large-scale rescue operation involving multiple agencies. Teams from the national disaster response force (NDRF), Thane disaster response force, state disaster response force (SDRF), the local fire brigade and disaster management authorities were deployed at the site.
Rescue teams are using a dog squad, four fire engines, two ambulances and heavy earth-moving machinery, including JCB machines, to clear the debris. Officials said the large volume of rubble and the overnight darkness slowed rescue efforts, but operations have continued uninterrupted.
Authorities have identified some of those believed to be trapped beneath the debris as Shamji Pal (46), Santosh Pandey alias Munna (42), Miraj Sheikh (35) and several unidentified workers.
Officials said the Kohinoor Building had already been classified as unsafe by the civic body. The exact cause of the collapse will be investigated after the rescue operation is completed.
Emergency personnel remain at the site, carefully removing debris in the hope of locating survivors. Authorities said the death toll could rise as rescue teams continue searching the collapsed structure.
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