Bhiwandi Building Collapse: Three Dead, Rescue Operations Underway

Rescue operations are underway since the last 19 hours to save those trapped.

#WATCH | Bhiwandi building collapse update | A man rescued by NDRF and TDRF after more than 20 hours.

(Source: Thane Municipal Corporation) pic.twitter.com/QWEwZMMUYY

— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2023

After 18 hours of building collapse, a 38-year-old man was rescued on Sunday morning. With this, those injured in the incident have gone up to 12. Teams of Fire Brigade, Police, Target Disaster Response Force (TDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are present on spot to rescue people trapped in debris. Reportedly, 14 people, including two children, have been rescued so far. 

The incident occurred at 2 pm on Saturday at Wardhaman compound in Valpada area. The deceased have been identified as Navnath Sawant, 29, Lalita Ravi Mahto, 26, and five-year-old Sona Mukesh Kori. Those injured have been shifted to Indira Gandhi Hospital on Saturday. Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde met those injured in the building collapse at the hospital. 

He had announced Rs 5 lakh assistance each to the kin of the deceased. Shinde had termed the incident as "most unfortunate". Bhiwandi Deputy Commissioner of Police Navnath Dhavle told PTI that offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code have been registered against the structure owner, Indrapal Patil. However, no arrest has been made so far. The building had godowns on the ground and first floors. While four families occupied the upper floor. According to Thane Municipal Corporation's Regional Disaster Management Cell chief Avinash Sawant, some workers were present on the ground floor when the structure collapsed. On Saturday, CM Shinde told reporters that he has instructed Thane Collector Ashok Shingare and other authorities to immediately carry out a survey of the structures declared 'most dangerous' in the district. Also, directions have been given to the officials to shift those people occupying in unsafe buildings to safer places as monsoon season is approaching. Shinde said that cluster development was the only solution to the problems arising on account of the dangerous buildings.