Mumbai: Barely days after a bridge collapsed on the Mumbai-Goa highway killing at least 24 people, a building collapsed in Bhiwandi on the outskirts of Mumbai during early hours of Sunday morning leaving at least two dead.
The three-storey building collapsed in Hanuman Tekri area of Bhiwandi near Mumbai early today.
NDRF, fire brigade team has rushed to spot to begin rescue work at the earliest.
At least four people have so far been rescued from spot of building collapse while many others are still feared to be trapped under debris. Two people have been confirmed dead after portion of the building collapsed.
Regional disaster management cell (RDMC) chief of the Thane Municipal Corporation, Santosh Kadam said that the building located at Hanuman Tekadi locality on the Kalyan road collapsed at around 8 AM and seven-eight persons are feared trapped.
Kadam said disaster control teams from Thane and Kalyan were rushed to the spot immediately upon receiving an alert, while local firemen were also pressed into action.
An NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) team was also called.
Rescue and relief operations were underway, he said, adding that details of exact number of families residing in the building are yet to be ascertained.
According to Bhiwandi tehsildar, Vaishali Lambate fire brigade personnel have rescued four persons from the debris.
She said the building fell under 'dangerous building' category and it was a 'very old' ground plus two-floor structure.
Police teams have also reached the site and are busy in rescue operations, a personnel from Thane Police control room said.
Last Sunday, a two-storey building had collapsed in the same area, leaving 8 persons dead and over 20 injured. This is the second major building collapse in Mumbai in a week.
According to locals, the building was declared dangerous by municipal authorities three years ago. "A few families had shifted out but few continued to stay," another local resident told media.
