Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The death toll in the Bhiwandi building collapse in Maharashtra’s Thane has risen to nine, with rescue teams recovering the bodies from the debris, according to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Rescue operations are still underway as authorities fear that more people may be trapped beneath the rubble.
The tragic incident occurred late on July 30 night when a portion of the four-storey Kohinoor Building in the Balaji Nagar area of Bhiwandi, Maharashtra, collapsed while repair work was reportedly in progress.
Officials said the collapse took place at around 11:30 p.m. The building, which housed 48 rooms 12 on each floor had previously been declared dangerous by the local civic body.
According to municipal authorities, residents heard loud cracking sounds coming from the structure at around 9 pm. Alarmed by the warning signs, local residents immediately began helping families evacuate the building.
However, while some occupants were still attempting to leave the premises, the building’s ‘B’ wing suddenly collapsed. Several people were trapped under the debris, triggering a large-scale rescue operation involving the NDRF and other emergency response agencies.
Deepak Kumar Yadav, a survivor of the incident, said, “Repair work was being carried out on the pillars of a nearby building. After dinner, we went to sleep when we suddenly heard a loud sound of the collapsing building. When we rushed out, there was chaos everywhere. I jumped from the first floor to save my life.”
