A 10-year-old girl died after part of a ground-plus-five building collapsed in Khar (West), one of Mumbai’s posh localities, on Tuesday.
Twenty-three people were rescued, of which two people sustained injuries and were admitted to Bhabha Hospital, Bandra.
The incident was first reported around 1.11pm and 10-year-old Mahi Dinesh Motwani was pulled out from under the debris at 4.42pm. She was declared dead on arrival at Lilavati Hospital, Bandra at 5.14pm.
Local residents said there were some repairs underway on the ground floor of the 44-year-old Bhole Apartments, while the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and fire brigade officials said the claim has to be investigated.
At the time of going to press, the fire brigade was still conducting search operations.
Sharad Ughade, H-West assistant commissioner, said, “We are recovering the structural audit report from the building’s secretary. As of now, we know that the building got its Intimation of Disapproval (IOD) in 1973 and Building Completion Certificate in 1975. The cause of the incident is yet to be determined.”
During the rescue operations, fire brigade officials complained of difficulty as there were grilles on almost all windows in the building. The firefighters had to cut off grilles to rescue people as part of the staircase had collapsed.
Ughade added that the BMC will decide on pulling down the remaining structure after talking to the residents who have their valuables still in the building.
Civic officials at the site said the building had done its structural audit two years ago and minor repairs were suggested as per the report. Locals and a few residents said that there were minor repairs going on, which the BMC denied and said that the building does not need permission from the civic body for minor repairs.
Neelam Nihalani, Motwani’s teacher, said, “Motwani was studying in Class Five in JLM School in Khar (West). Owing to ongoing exams, she would return home at 11.30am every day.” Two women — Bhavana Anchan, 50, was admitted and her condition is stable and Surekha Lokhande, 40 — was treated and discharged.
Earlier, on September 11, the rear portion of a ground-plus-three structure collapsed near Crawford market. Two days after the incident, a man’s body was recovered from the site.