8 dead, several trapped after 4-storey building collapses near Mumbai

Bhiwandi building collapse: At least 10 people were killed after a four-storey residential building collapsed in Bhiwandi city of Thane district, near Mumbai, late Thursday night. Officials fear that several people may still be trapped beneath the rubble, prompting a major rescue operation by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Thane Disaster Response Force (TDRF), and the fire brigade. Those who have died in the Bhiwandi building collapse include Shamim Shaikh (32), Radhe Shyam (45), Shiraj Rasool Shaikh (34), Ranjit Singh (45), Miraj Rasul Shaikh (34), Santosh Kumar Pandey (40), Rakesh Paswan (25), Shamim Ansari (30), Mukesh Paswan (30 -35) and Ashok Paswan (40 -45). The 10th victim, whose body was retrieved from the rubble, has been taken to Indira Gandhi Hospital for a postmortem. 'Bhiwandi building was declared dangerous' The building, identified as Kohinoor Apartment and located in Balaji Nagar Gangaramwadi area of Bhiwandi, was earlier declared 'dangerous' by the municipal corporation. The building has a total of 48 rooms - 12 on each floor. According to preliminary information, the structure collapsed suddenly, trapping several people under the debris. Officials said a portion of the building's 'B' wing collapsed between 11 pm and 11.30 pm; residents said they heard a 'cracking' sound. Sensing danger, they immediately began evacuating families and that timely action helped many escape, though many more were still caught inside. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Indian Express (@indianexpress) ALSO READ | Moshi tragedy: PCMC suspends fire officer for misuse of authority The NDRF has called off the rescue operations at the Bhiwandi building collapse site. According to a senior official from the Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation, the building was declared unsafe for habitation, and nearly 25 families had been evacuated by the local ward officer as a preemptive measure. "However, the family on the ground floor decided to stay put amid resistance. They had refused to vacate and were undertaking repair works on the ground floor when the building collapsed," an official from BNCMC said. "There are many such buildings in Bhiwandi that have been declared dangerous. While we are trying to rescue those trapped, I would advise people living in such buildings to vacate them immediately," Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation Mayor Narayan Chaudhary said. Authorities rushed to the site soon after receiving information about the building collapse and deployed heavy machinery along with specialised rescue teams to clear the debris. The cause of the collapse is yet to be ascertained. Officials said efforts remain focused on locating and rescuing those feared trapped under the rubble. Ram Vilas, a resident of the building who was rescued from the rubble using ropes and ladders, said, "I survived by God's grace."