Mumbai building collapse kills at least 8; `renovation work on ground floor led to fall`

Around 12 families lived in the ill-fated Sai Darshan building which also housed a private hospital on the ground floor.

Mumbai: At least eight persons were killed when a four-storey dilapidated residential building collapsed in Ghatkopar suburb of Mumbai on Tuesday morning.

Twelve persons have been extricated safely and efforts were underway to rescue the others from under the debris of the ill-fated Sai Darshan building which collapsed in Ghatkopar's Damodar Park area this morning.

The civic body's control room received a call at around 10.43 am about the accident, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) fire brigade department chief PS Rahangdale said. 

Fourteen fire engines, rescue vans, and ambulances besides teams of the state disaster management force were at the site, the BMC Disaster Control official said.

A fire brigade officer said 30-40 persons were still feared trapped and rescue operations were going on.

The injured were rushed to hospitals. 

Around 12 families lived in the building which also housed a nursing home on the ground floor.

Locals allege that the building collapsed due to renovation work being undertaken on the nursing home owned by Shiv Sena's Sunil Shitap.

However, BMC officials are yet to ascertain the reason behind the building collapse.

The building figured on the BMC`s list of "dangerous buildings".

(With Agency inputs)