Eight kids among 11 killed in Malad building collapse; one dead in Dahisar after three homes cave in

At least 11 people, including eight children, were killed and seven injured after two floors of a three-storey building collapsed on an adjoining structure in a slum at Malad West in Mumbai late on Wednesday night.

The incident took place around 11.15 pm on Wednesday at the New Collector Compound on Abdul Hamid Road in the Malwani area after the city witnessed heavy rainfall throughout the day.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray today announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh for the kin of the dead and said that the state will bear the cost of treatment for all the injured.

Also on Thursday, three houses collapsed in Mumbai’s Dahisar area on Thursday, killing at least one person, News18 reported.

The incident occured at Lokhandi Chawl around 6.30 pm, the news report said.

News18 identified the deceased as 26-year-old Pradyumna Saroj.

Building contractor detained

According to police, the building was constructed illegally and after the incident, its contractor was being questioned. The police have registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section (304) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the contractor.

The local Malwani police and fire brigade officials are at the spot, carrying out search and rescue operations. “Many are still feared trapped under the debris and evacuation operations are underway,” officials said.

The BMC has also evacuated people from a nearby three-storey structure which was in a dilapidated condition, they said.

It's an unfortunate incident. It was a G+2 building that fell on another building. 18 people have been rescued, of whom 11 died. Police will carry out a proper investigation and take further action: Dilip Sawant, Additional CP, on building collapse incident in Malad West, Mumbai pic.twitter.com/zjnm5YuKvK

— ANI (@ANI) June 10, 2021

Mumbai Mayor asks culprits behind building collapse to take responsibility

Meanwhile, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar on Thursday asked the culprits behind the residential structure collapse in Malad to take responsibility for the incident and said if everyone was responsible, the mishap would not have happened.

Addressing media, the Mayor also slammed the BJP for blaming the Shiv Sena for the incident and said the Opposition party in Maharashtra thinks only they are clean.

“Today, 11 people have died including children. When a building is declared under the C category (which means it is beyond repair and needs to be demolished), the occupants must be moved out immediately. Culprits behind what happened in Malad should take responsibility for it. More than looking into whose administration was there, it should be seen that who was responsible for it. Had everyone been responsible, it wouldn’t have happened,” said Pednekar.

“Let BJP bark if they want to. They think that everything is the fault of Shiv Sena and they themselves are clean,” she added when asked about BJP’s allegation against the ruling party.

Seven others were injured and the condition of one of them was critical.

The deceased have been identified as: Sahil Sarfaraz Sayyed (9), Arifa Sheikh (9), Shafiq Md Saleem Siddiqui (45), Tausif Shafiq Siddiqui (15), Aalisha Shafiq Siddiqui (10), Alfisa Shafiq Siddiqui (1.5 years), Afina Shafik Siddiqui (6), Ishrat Bano Shafiq Siddiqui (40), Rahisa Bano Rafik Siddiqui (40), Tahes Safik Siddiqui (12) and John Irranna (13).

Meanwhile, Mumbai Police said it will register a case under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the owner of the residential structure.

“Mumbai Police to register a case under Section 304 (2) of IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against the owner of structure that collapsed and the contractor. They had recently made some structural changes after cyclone Tauktae,” Joint Commissioner Police (Law and Order) Vishwas Nangre Patil said.

As per the BMC, the collapsed building was located on collector’s land and its owner got permission from the collector’s office while constructing a permanent structure.

However, Patil told reporters that the building was constructed illegally and had serious structural flaws.

“During cyclone Tauktae last month, the building suffered certain damages,” he said, adding that Wednesday’s incident could have been averted if proper precautions had been taken.

Uddhav Thackeray announces ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for kin of deceased

The Government of Maharashtra has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased and said the medical treatment of those injured would be borne by the government.

The decision was announced after Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray paid a visit to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Municipal Hospital (Shatabdi Hospital) in Kandivali, where those injured in the building collapse are admitted.

मुख्यमंत्री @OfficeofUT ji यांनी मालाड येथील दुर्घटनाग्रस्त इमारतीतील जखमी रहिवाशांची डॉ. बाबासाहेब आंबेडकर @mybmc रुग्णालय ( शताब्दी रुग्णालय) येथे जाऊन विचारपूस केली.
यावेळी पर्यावरण मंत्री @AUThackeray ji ,महापौर किशोरी पेडणेकर,आयुक्त श्री.इक्बालसिंह चहल यांची उपस्थिती होती. pic.twitter.com/WwWlMw0LtR

— Kishori Pednekar (@KishoriPednekar) June 10, 2021

Environment Minister Aditya Thackeray, Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, Mayor Kishori Pednekar, District Collector Milind Borikar were also present.

As news about the collapse spread, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to express his condolences over the incident. “Pained by the loss of lives due to the collapse of a structure in Malad West, Mumbai. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest,” said the prime minister.

Former chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis has demanded an in-depth inquiry and action against all those responsible for the house collapse.

“Saddened to know the loss of lives in Malad building collapse incident in Mumbai. My thoughts are with families who lost loved ones and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured. We demand immediate assistance to the families, in-depth inquiry and action against all responsible,” he said.

MHADA recently released a list of endangered buildings in the metropolitan city. MHADA has a 24x7 helpline service that provides help or support. The helpline numbers are 23536945 and 23517423.

With inputs from agencies