Maharashtra building collapse: 19 still missing, eight rescued from debris so far
MUMBAI: A day after a five-storeyed building in Maharashtra's Raigad district collapsed, rescue personnel continued to sift through the rubble in search of survivors, while police said 19 persons are still missing.
Raigad District Superintendent of Police Anil Paraskar told PTI that eight persons have been rescued from the debris so far and 19 are still missing.
A man died of cardiac arrest on Monday night after he was hit by a stone from the falling building, the IPS officer said.
"This person was not a resident of the building, but was walking nearby when it collapsed and was hit by a stone from the falling debris. He died of cardiac arrest," Paraskar said.
An official at the Mantralaya State Control Room of the State Disaster Management Unit said the Tarek Garden building collapsed at Kajalpura in Mahad tehsil around 7 pm.
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.
Teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are at the spot for rescue operations.
Canine squads were also deployed at the scene of the collapse, an official said.
The Tarek Garden building, which was around 10 years' old, collapsed at Kajalpura in Mahad tehsil around 7 pm, the official said.
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.
Teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were moved to the spot for rescue operations.
Rescue teams and canine squads were deployed at the scene of the collapse, an NDRF official said.
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.
A viral video of the collapse showed a plume of dust rising from where the building had stood.
Another video showed police trying to control several onlookers gathered at the collapse site.
"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," Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted.
(With PTI Inputs)