7 injured after ground-plus-one storey building collapsed in Bhiwandi

|HT|

Seven persons were injured after a ground-plus-one storey building collapsed in Bhiwandi at around 7am on Tuesday, officials said. The building was declared ‘dangerous’ by the Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation almost five years ago and was emptied as well. However, the building fell on a chawl adjacent to the structure causing injuries to people. Around 6 labourers lived in the room beside the aforementioned building, located at Pajarapool area near Nishan Hotel in Bhiwandi.

The building, named Mobin Master, was initially set up as a power loom unit and its first floor was meant to be a residential space. As soon as the neighbours heard the loud thud in the early hours of Tuesday, the locals rushed to help.

“Initially there was only one ambulance and we had to send around 4 of the injured together in the single ambulance. Later the fire brigade and civic officials reached the spot for help. The fire brigade joined us to help rescue the child and another youngster who was the most injured in the incident,” said an eye witness near the spot.

As soon as the locals reached the spot, they started pulling out those stuck in the debris, “A small child called Danish was completely stuck in the debris, all we could see was his face. We all managed to pull him out safely,” said Shaukat Shaikh, 42, a resident of Pajarapool area who rushed to the spot and helped in the rescue operations.

From among the seven injured, six were taken to Indira Ganshi Memorial Hospital in Bhiwandi and provided first aid. Only one man who has sustained injuries in his abdomen and leg is still admitted to a private hospital in Bhiwandi.

Bhiwandi Fire brigade officer said that we received a call at around 7.20am after which two fire engines rushed to the spot. Later local civic body officials also reached the spot. “The building is almost 30 to 35 years old and necessary precautionary measures were undertaken to empty the building. Despite which illegal settlements encroached on the open ground adjacent to the building. Those residing in the chawls risked their life as well,” said an officer from BNCMC on condition of anonymity. “I was sleeping in my house when my wife, who was preparing breakfast, heard a loud sound and informed me. I rushed out of my room and in the direction of the noise when I saw the building collapse. All of us gathered together to start with the rescue operations and also informed the civic authorities and fire brigade,” said one of the locals.

(Except for the headline and the pictorial description, this story has not been edited by THE DEN staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)