21 September,2020 08:00 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Rescue teams of Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have reached the site. Pic: Sameer Markande
At least 13 persons were killed, several injured and many are feared trapped after a three-storey building crashed at Bhiwandi town in Thane district in the early hours of Monday.
Among the deceased are four minors. The injured have been rushed to hospitals in Kalyan, Dombivali, Kalwa, and Thane. Thirty, including an infant, have been rescued safely although 12 have suffered injuries from the crash.
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The tragedy caught the residents in sleep when the three-storey Jilani Building in Patel Compound abruptly collapsed around 3.45 am.
Locals said that the building was in a poor condition and had been served notices by the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation, but those were ignored. Besides, there were unattended problems of leakages and seepages which may have weakened the structure located in a congested locality of the town.
Rescue teams of Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are at the site and rescue operation is underway.
Maharashtra minister Eknath Shinde visited the site of the incident to take stock of the rescue operations.
Offering condolences to the bereaved families, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that all possible assistance is being provided to the affected.
President Ram Nath Kovind said the loss of lives in the building collapse at Bhiwandi is quite distressing.
Around 20 families were reportedly staying inside the building which was about 40 years old.
(With inputs from agency)
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