10 dead, 14 hurt in another building collapse at Mumbra

Ten people, including six children, were killed and 14 inju-red after a ground-plus-three storey building collapsed in Mumbra, Thane, late on Thursday night. Megha Pol reports.

Ten people, including six children, were killed and 14 inju-red after a ground-plus-three storey building collapsed in Mumbra, Thane, late on Thursday night.

Those trapped under the debris were rescued by Friday noon, and search operations were called off in the evening.

According to civic officials, the building was neither illegal nor in the list of dilapidated structures. Smruti building, located next to Mumbra railway station, collapsed around 2.15am when the residents were asleep. The 34-year-old structure was home to nine families.

“I woke up to the sound of the crash. When the rear wall of the building caved in, my family and I jumped from our second-floor flat,” said Zakiya Shaikh Iqbal.

While Iqbal was lucky to survive, the Jilani family lost a child in the accident. “I was holding my son and running out, but the floor caved in and my son fell to his death,” said Farooq Jilani, the boy’s father.

The disaster management and fire officials reached the spot at 2.45am. The injured were admitted to Kalsekar Hospital, and Thane Civil Hospital.

“The structure was constructed in 1979. We did not serve any notice as it was not in the list of dangerous or extremely dangerous buildings,” said Shyamsunder Patil, acting municipal commissioner, TMC.

The Thane police have registered an accidental death report and police commissioner KP Raghuvanshi said a detailed probe will be undertaken.