Building collapses in Bhiwandi; rescue operations underway

Rescue workers pulled out four people from the debris while some others are feared trapped

A two-storey building collapsed in the powerloom town of Bhiwandi here today with rescue workers pulling out four persons from the debris while some persons are feared trapped, officials said.

This is second incident of building collapse in the town in one week.

Regional disaster management cell (RDMC) chief of the Thane Municipal Corporation, Santosh Kadam told PTI that the building located at Hanuman Tekadi locality on the Kalyan road collapsed at around 8 AM and seven-eight persons are feared trapped.

Kadam said disaster control teams from Thane and Kalyan were rushed to the spot immediately upon receiving an alert, while local firemen were also pressed into action.

An NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) team has also been called.

Rescue and relief operations were underway, he said, adding that details of exact number of families residing in the building are yet to be ascertained.

According to Bhiwandi tehsildar, Vaishali Lambate fire brigade personnel have rescued four persons from the debris.

She said the building fell under "dangerous building" category and it was a "very old" ground plus two-floor structure.

Occupants of the building were also served evacuation notices by the civic body, the official added.

Police teams have also reached the site and are busy in rescue operations, a personnel from Thane Police control room said.

On July 31, a two storey residential building had crashed amid heavy rains claiming nine lives, including that of four children and three women, while 10 others were injured.