Lack of coordination and heated arguments between the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Mumbai Fire Brigade apparently led to delay in starting rescue operations
Teams of Mumbai Fire Brigade and NDRF at the building collapse site in Ghatkopar. Pic/Shadab Khan
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Lack of coordination and heated arguments between the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Mumbai Fire Brigade apparently led to delay in starting rescue operations at the building collapse site in Ghatkopar West.
Highly-placed sources said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is likely to take the issue of lack of coordination with the higher-ups in NDRF on Wednesday.
An eyewitness said that on Tuesday when the fire brigade was trying to pull out a man trapped under the debris, NDRF members were merely standing and watching. Also, both teams were seen arguing with each other during the rescue.
Also read - Mumbai building collapse in Ghatkopar: 8 dead, over 50 feared trapped; rescue operations underway
"This is totally unprofessionally; it is likely to cost those trapped their lives," the eyewitness said, adding, "During the evening was not the first time when they were seen arguing. In the afternoon as well, twice the two teams were seen shouting at each other."
He alleged that the fight was so vicious that some team members had to intervene and resolve the matter so that work could be continued.
NDRF teams from Navi Mumbai and Pune were sent to the spot, as two teams from Mumbai NDRF had gone to Gujarat to control the flood situation there.
The city teams, however, hadn't informed the BMC, which spends about R1 crore every year on their accommodation, and that seriously upset the officials.
A senior civic official said, "We will be writing a letter to the DG of NDRF for this irresponsible behaviour; it was a crisis situation and they were not around. Our fire officers had to do a majority of the work. Civic authorities will also review the fights that took place at the spot."
However, fire officers said the division of the teams was for tactical reasons. R A Chaudhari, deputy chief fire officer (technical), said, "There was no fight... the reason people saw us divided was because we were working on separate ends as per our strategy. Our men were enough to tackle this, and we also didn't want overcrowding at the spot as we were providing a victim with water and oxygen through a cavity. There was some confusion in the afternoon, which was resolved immediately."
Seconding Chaudhari, Deputy Commandant of NDRF Mahesh Nalawade, who was at the spot, said, "There was no problem between us."
NDRF Deputy Commandant Sachidanand Gawade said, "There must be some miscommunication; both teams worked in perfect coordination and rescued those trapped. I haven't been told of any such fights breaking out at the site."
Five more bodies were pulled from the rubble of the residential building in suburban Ghatkopar during the operations through the night during which two firemen were injured and shifted to a hospital, the official said.
"Our rescue team along with the fire brigade and NDRF jawans extricated 28 people from the debris out which 17 people have been declared dead while 11 injured have been admitted in the nearby Shantiniketan, and the Rajawadi hospitals," an official of the disaster management unit of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.
According to residents of the ill-fated Siddhi-Sai Cooperative Housing Society, the pillars of the building got weakened due to ongoing renovation of a nursing home located on its ground floor, reportedly owned by a local Shiv Sena leader, leading to the collapse yesterday morning.
Till 9 pm yesterday, 23 people were pulled out, of whom 12 were declared dead while 11 injured were admitted to hospitals.
(With inputs from PTI)
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