Mumbai: Rotten tree collapses on MHADA property, one dead, one injured

The tree inside MHADA compound was later chopped down

One person was killed and another injured when the branch of a tree on a MHADA property collapsed on the adjoining footpath in Parel on Friday. The latest mishap has taken the death toll from tree collapse incidents to five this monsoon.

The tree touching the boundary of the MHADA water pumping station at Abhyudaya Nagar collapsed around 4.20 pm. Nathuram Maurya, a 48-year-old Kurla resident, was at his makeshift shoe stall on the footpath when the tree branch came crashing down on him. He was rushed to KEM Hospital where he was declared brought dead. Suhas Suryakant Palkar, a passerby, sustained minor injuries and was given treatment at the hospital.

A 36-year-old man, identified as Shoheb Farid Shaikh, was also admitted to the hospital, however, he was not injured in the mishap, said the assistant medical officer at KEM. Shaikh and some others were trying to remove a heavy branch to help Maurya when he suffered a cardiac arrest, doctors were told.

A BMC official said, "The tree was fully rotten. But it didn't come to our notice as it was inside the compound." The BMC on Friday chopped down the tree to avoid further mishaps. The police have registered an accidental death report in the case.

Since June 1, the city witnessed over 2,300 tree/branch collapse incidents. Three people had lost their lives in separate incidents on June 14, including one at a cooperative housing society. A fourth incident took place on August 11, killing an auto driver. A total of 15 injuries have been recorded in these mishaps so far. Last monsoon, six people died and 30 injured in 1587 tree/branch collapse incidents.

2,300
No. of tree/branch collapse incidents since June 1

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