Mumbai Building Collapse: 17 Dead; Shiv Sena’s Sunil Shitap Booked

Rescue ops are underway with the NDRF and the BMC personnel joining the victim’s kin on the collapse site.

Seventeen people were killed after a four-storey building collapsed in Ghatkopar, Mumbai on the morning of 25 July. The building collapsed at 10:45am, and as of 9pm, around 23 people had been rescued from the debris, PTI reported. Several others are feared trapped under the debris of the building on LBS Road, near Shreyas Cinema in Ghatkopar West. The building was home to around 15 families, with close to three families on every floor.

Police have booked and detained Shiv Sena leader Sunil Shitap for culpable homicide and he is being questioned in the matter.

Shitap is the owner of the ground floor of the building, which housed a nursing home. It has been alleged that construction work was being carried out on the floor, which allegedly weakened the structure and caused the building to collapse. An FIR is also being registered.

Refusing to comment on Shitap’s alleged involvement, Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar said:

Appropriate action must be taken against the culprit, whoever he is.

Of the casualties, two were found to be infants, a three-month-old Renuka Thak and one-and-half-year-old Krishu Dongre, reported Hindustan Times.

Elderly citizens and women are feared trapped under the debris.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the collapse site late on 25 July. He was quoted as saying.

An offence has been registered and police are investigating. I have directed the commissioner of BMC to investigate and submit report within 15 days.

Rescue Ops On

Eight fire tenders, two rescue vans and an ambulance were dispatched to the spot immediately. As the search operations progressed, close to 300 rescuers worked through the night to identify any signs of life that might be trapped under the debris.

Entire ground and four floored residential building collapsed. About 30 to 40 persons suspected to be trapped. Until now nine persons (have been) rescued and sent to hospital...Our rescue teams are conducting search operations to help people trapped inside.

Prabhat Rahangdale, City’s Chief Fire Officer

Speaking to ANI, the Chief Officer of Mumbai’s Fire Brigade said that the topmost RCC slab of the building debris has been removed. An NDRF team has currently been deployed at the spot.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)

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