Two dead, one injured in wall collapse inside Film City

The wall in question was that of an under-renovation studio inside Film City. BMC officials said that a retaining wall was being built, which had collapsed. A senior BMC official said that no permission had been given by the BMC to build a retaining wall

MUMBAI: On Saturday evening, 32-year-old Sintu Mandal and 45-year-old Jaidev Pralhad Biswas died while 29-year-old Vikram Mandal was injured after a 60-ft-long and 20-ft-high wall collapsed in a building inside Film City. As per the BMC’s disaster management cell, the incident was reported by the local police at around 6.30 pm. At the time of going to press, search and rescue operations were still on.

Mumbai, India - Feb. 24, 2024: 60 ft long and 20 ft height wall near the Filmcity gate no.2 had collapsed, Out of 03 persons, one male person removed to trauma care center in private vehicle before arrival of fire brigade and 02 male persons declared dead in Mumbai, India, on Saturday, February 24, 2024. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

BMC officials said that no permission had been taken for the wall near Film City’s Gate No 2. “As per information received from the police and public, three men were brought out before the arrival of the fire brigade,” they said. Sintu and Jaidev were declared dead by the on-duty doctor of the 108 ambulance that was sent to the spot, whereas Vikram was sent to the HBT Trauma Care Hospital in a private ambulance. He was later discharged from the OPD.

Ravindra Ambulgekar, chief fire officer, Mumbai fire brigade, said that senior fire officials had also been sent to the site. “Search and rescue operations are on,” he said. “Our firemen will check every corner of the debris of the collapsed wall and only then will the rescue operation end.”

The wall in question was that of an under-renovation studio inside Film City. BMC officials said that a retaining wall was being built, which had collapsed. A senior BMC official said that no permission had been given by the BMC to build a retaining wall. “A commencement certificate was not granted and only plans for internal addition/ alteration were approved,” he said. “Film City, being a government organisation, has its own supervisory team, but no permission has been granted by us to construct a wall there.”

Avinash Dhakane, managing director of the Maharashtra Film, Stage and Cultural Development Corporation Ltd, said the Film City staff was on site along with the fire brigade in the search and rescue operation. “The question of the legality of the wall will have to be answered by the BMC, as any permission for a permanent structure is granted by it,” he said.

The Aarey Colony police have registered an accidental death report. “We have spent all day at the site helping with the rescue operations,” said a police officer. “We need to record the statements of people involved and identify the cause of the collapse. If we find that it was caused by a human error, we will register a case against those found responsible.”

With inputs by Payal Gwalani