Mumbai: Roof, pillars of MDFA's Parel ground collapse; no one hurt

A portion of the spectators stand at St Xavier's ground, Parel collapsed yesterday morning. Pic/ Suresh Karkera

A part of the roof and some pillars of the St Xavier's ground in Parel collapsed in the early hours of Thursday morning.

There were no casualties reported as the Mumbai District Football Association (MDFA) ground, which hosts club and inter-school football matches besides being used by morning walkers, has been shut due to the Coronavirus-forced lockdown.

"Some parts of the stand collapsed around 5:15 this morning. Some workers, who stay around, informed us and the BMC [Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation] about it.

Immediately, some BMC officers and fire brigade officials arrived and examined the venue. Thankfully, there were no casualties as the ground is closed due to the lockdown," MDFA secretary Sudhakar Rane told mid-day.

"The construction of these pillars and the roof was done around 25 years ago. We will request the BMC to rebuild it," added Rane. MDFA's match-coordinator Mangesh Ambre, who rushed to the ground on hearing about the collapse, said: "The ground's security guards informed me about the incident. BMC's officers will submit a report after conducting a survey of the collapse."

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