Six killed as four-storey building collapses in Maha's Bhiwandi; rescue operation underway
Bhiwandi, July 31
A four-storey building collapsed in Bhiwandi in Maharashtra's Thane district, leaving six people dead, according to the National Disaster Response Force. Authorities fear that several others may still be trapped under the debris, and rescue operations are continuing at the site.
The building had started tilting late on the night of July 30 and collapsed on Thursday night. After noticing the danger, several labourers working there evacuated the premises. Repair work was reportedly underway in the building at the time, which is believed to have reduced the number of people inside when the collapse occurred.
During the rescue operation, NDRF personnel recovered two bodies from the debris. The team also rescued a woman alive from the rubble and immediately shifted her to a nearby hospital for treatment. Her condition is reported to be stable.
Deepak Kumar Yadav, a survivor of the incident, told IANS, "Repair work was being carried out on the pillars of a nearby building. After dinner, we went to sleep when we suddenly heard a loud sound of the collapsing building. When we rushed out, there was chaos everywhere. I jumped from the first floor to save my life."
Neha Singh, a local resident searching for her husband after the collapse, said, "He had gone downstairs saying he needed to check something. The building collapsed barely 10 minutes after he went down. The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. Some work was going on there. I was not feeling well, which is why I had stayed upstairs. My husband, Ranjeet Singh, has been missing since the collapse. His phone is ringing, but he is not answering."
Another survivor, Sangeeta Prajapati, said, "I was standing in the parking area when I heard the sound of the building cracking. I tried to run, but the structure collapsed while I was fleeing. I sustained injuries in the incident."
Abhay Kumar Yadav recounted, "We were in our room after dinner when we heard a loud noise. We immediately tried to run outside, but there was no clear exit route, so I jumped from the first floor. I suffered a leg fracture. Later, some local residents brought a ladder, and others were able to climb down safely. There were around 25 to 30 people inside the building at the time. The building has nearly 45 rooms."
According to the administration, at least three to four labourers are still feared trapped under the debris. Rescue operations are progressing slowly due to the large volume of rubble.
After receiving information about the incident, teams from the NDRF and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rushed to the spot. Debris removal operations, assisted by JCB machines and other heavy equipment, continued throughout the night. Officials said darkness and the massive debris have hampered rescue efforts, but teams remain engaged in the operation.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Absolutely tragic. But what's more concerning is that the building was already tilting before it collapsed. Why didn't the authorities evacuate it earlier? This is a classic case of negligence. Also, the fact that repair work was going on while people were sleeping in the building shows how little regard there is for safety protocols.
Praying for everyone trapped under the debris 🙏 The NDRF team is doing wonders, but this is a systemic failure. We need stricter building codes and mandatory safety inspections every few years. These old structures in Bhiwandi are ticking time bombs, and our politicians only care about vote banks, not safety.
As someone from Thane, this hits so close to home. Every monsoon we hear about a building collapse somewhere. The municipal corporation needs to take proactive measures instead of doing damage control after the incident. Hope the woman rescued pulls through and they find the missing husband. Terrible situation.
Typical Mumbai Metropolitan Region story. Buildings are constructed with cheap materials and no supervision. The workers who lived there are the ones paying the price. I just hope the administration is providing proper compensation to the victims' families and not just giving empty promises. The survivor's story about jumping from the first floor is chilling.
My heart goes out to the victims and their families. I've seen similar situations in other countries too, where old buildings are neglected. But this is a reminder that infrastructure safety should be a top priority everywhere. Yes, the rescue teams are doing their best, but we need a larger conversation about housing standards for migrant workers.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.