One dead, 7 injured in building collapse in Maharashtra's Raigad

At least one person was killed and seven others injured when a five-storey residential building collapsed in Mahad city in the Raigad district of Maharashtra on Monday said the Raigad Police to news agency ANI. The incident took place on Monday evening and dozens are feared to be trapped inside the structure. 

The incident took place in Kajalpura area of Mahad Tehsil and the building is said to have been erected some 10-year-old. The Tarek Garden building, which was around 10 years' old, collapsed at Kajalpura in Mahad tehsil around 7 pm, news agency PTI reported quoting a Mantralaya State Control Room of the State Disaster Management Unit official. There were around 40 flats in the building, the official said, adding those rescued were shifted to a local hospital at Mahad, which is around 170 km from Mumbai.

Reports stated that at least 30 people were evacuated out of the building with the help of local rescue and fire department rescue teams. They were immediately rushed to nearby hospitals. 

According to ANI, at least 200 people are reported to be trapped inside the building. "15 people have been rescued till now, they have suffered injuries. We have five to six relief teams at the spot. More teams will be arriving here," Maharashtra minister Aditi S Tatkare told the news agency.

Three teams of NDRF have been rushed from Pune to carry out the rescue operation and evacuated people from the site. Rescue teams and canine squads were deployed at the scene of the collapse, an NDRF official told PTI.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray spoke to the district officials and asked them to expedite the rescue and relief work, another official said. Raigad District Collector Nidhi Choudhari told PTI that the man's body was recovered from the debris around 10 pm.

As the building began to collapse, around 70 people in the building ran out and managed to save their lives, the official said. "We also came to know that many families are not residing in the building as they went to their native places due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown," she said.

Raigad District Superintendent of Police Anil Paraskar said PWD department officials and local people were helping in the rescue operation.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted, "The collapse of a building in Raigad, Maharashtra is very tragic. Have spoken to DG @NDRFHQ to provide all possible assistance, teams are on the way and will be assisting with the rescue operations as soon as possible. Praying for everyones safety,"