At least 11 people, including four of a family, were killed and seven injured when a 50-year-old building collapsed near the Thane Railway Station in the wee hours of Tuesday.
The four-storeyed building -- Krishna Niwas -- located in B cabin area of Thane city, came down crashing around 2.30 am when the occupants were fast asleep, Thane Municipal Corporation’s Regional Disaster Management Cell in-charge Santosh Kadam said.
Soon after the collapse, 50 personnel from fire brigade and National Disaster Response Force reached the spot and began rescue operations to save those trapped in the debris.
The team managed to pull out at least a dozen people from the debris, who were immediately rushed to nearby local hospital even as heavy downpour and pitch darkness hampered the rescue work.
According to Additional Civic Commissioner Sunil Chavan the building was listed in the category of dangerous structures.
As per civic sources, the occupants were asked to vacate the building but they refused to comply with the orders.
This is the second major incident of building collapse within a week after a 40-year-old building crashed in Chole village of Thakurli in Kalyan claiming nine lives.
District Collector Dr Ashwini Joshi and Guardian Minister Ekanth Shinde are supervising the rescue operations, which is still in progress.
Shinde, who visited the spot, said, “The government will undertake a survey of dilapidated buildings in the area.”
The deceased have been identified as:
>> Subhrav Pandurang, 54,
>> Mira Bhatt, 58
>> Rashmi Bhatt, 25
>> Arun Sawant, 62
>> Priya Patel, 14
>> Bhakti Sawant, 32
>> Aanaya Khot, 07
>> Ramchandra Bhatt, 65
>> Manda Nene, 70
>> Rashmi Mange, 25
>> Amit Sawant, 40
Image: NDRF officials try to clear the rubble to rescue the trapped residents. Photograph: ANI/Twitter
