One more labourer succumbs to injuries

The lone surviving victim of the Matunga elevator mishap, Shantaram Kewat, died at Sion Hospital on Sunday night.

The lone surviving victim of the Matunga elevator mishap, Shantaram Kewat, died at Sion Hospital on Sunday night.

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Kewat, 30, was brought to the hospital on Sunday morning with five other labourers after they were injured when a temporary elevator in the 22-storeyed La Sonarisa building at Matunga came crashing down 15 floors.

Five labourers died on the spot, while Kewat suffered a head injury and serious fractures on both his limbs. “Kewat succumbed to severe multiple injuries. He had severe tears in his liver and lungs, besides the multiple bone fractures and head injury,” said Dr Suleman Merchant, acting dean, Sion hospital.

Kewat was the sole earning member of his family. “He has two children, one is three and the other is only a year old. How is his wife going to raise them? The contractor should take full responsibility of the family,” said Shrikant Kewat, 43, a relative. Kewat’s wife and children live in their native place in Basti in Uttar Pradesh.

Kewat was working on the construction site for the last few months on daily wages. “The temporary lift had a problem since the last one month. The lift was utilised to carry the construction material and used to shake a lot while moving. We had told them about this,” said Ram Prajapati, 38, who coordinates labourers at the construction site. Prajapati also said the labourers were not allowed to use the two passenger elevators in the building.

Kewat’s family said the builder has promised to airlift Kewat’s body to his native place. “If they don’t do that, we will collect money and take his body to his native place,” said Mahendra Misal, one of Kewat’s friends.

A statement issued by Success Developers, the firm building La Sonarisa, on Sunday said irrespective of who was responsible for the incident, they would take all the steps necessary to help the families of the injured and deceased medically and financially.