Five killed, three injured in Mumbai building collapse (Third Lead)

At least five people were killed and three others injured, at least one critically, when a partially-occupied building undergoing repairs came crashing down here on Saturday afternoon, officials said.

According to BMC Disaster Control, the three-storied Sattar Building in the congested Grant Road area's 14th Kamathipura Lane in south Mumbai came crashing down around 2 p.m., trapping several people.

The fire brigade managed to rescue five people from under the debris while a search is on to find and extricate any others feared trapped under the rubble of the old structure.

The injured have been rushed to Nair Hospital and Sir J.J. Hospital for treatment where the condition of one is reported as "critical".

Two other victims were declared dead at Nair Hospital and another three were pronounced dead at Sir J.J. Hospital.

At least 10 fire tenders and other rescue agencies are engaged in the relief operations at the site.

Top civic and elected officials rushed to the scene of the crash and supervised the rescue and relief operations for the victims.

Grieving family members of some of the victims alleged that the building was being shoddily repaired by the agencies concerned which could have led to the collapse.

Local legislator Amin Patel told mediapersons that the Maharashtra repairs authority should have evacuated the building fully before undertaking the repairs to the structure which could have prevented the tragedy.

--IANS

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