A tragic building collapse has left six people dead, and many more feared trapped under the rubble in Maharashtra’s Bhiwandi town. A four-storey residential building collapsed on Monday, and residents fled in panic; a huge search for others was conducted by a variety of emergency agencies.
The collapse occurred in a densely populated part of Bhiwandi in Thane district, officials said. Residents recalled hearing a loud cracking sound as the building collapsed with little time for the occupants to get out.
Emergency response teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local fire brigade units, police and municipal authorities rushed to the site as soon as they heard of the collapse. Rescue workers went to work immediately, digging through the debris using heavy machinery, cutting equipment and sniffer dogs to search for victims.
Six lives have been lost, but authorities believe there will be more people buried in the rubble, and doctors will go to hospitals to help them, as rescue crews continue to search for people who may be buried in the rubble.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes after the collapse. Residents and volunteers worked to clear away the debris and search for survivors at the scene; the first thing to do was clear up the debris and search for survivors before professional teams arrived. Family members of those who were likely to be trapped gathered near the site and anxiously awaited information from rescue workers.
The exact number of people in the building at the time the collapse occurred has not been determined. Occupancy records are being checked to find the missing. Rescue teams have been moving slowly because of the danger of further structural instability as well as debris falling during the operation.
High-ranking district officials have been visiting the site to oversee search and response and coordination of emergency response efforts. All possible assistance to victims and their families has been assured by the Maharashtra government. Local authorities also arranged temporary shelter and support for displaced residents following the disaster.
Initial investigations indicate structural weaknesses may have been part of the disaster, but there is still a process to determine the exact cause. Engineers and municipal officials will survey the site, and the building will be checked to determine whether it was constructed safely.
VIDEO | Bhiwandi Building Collapse: Fifth body recovered from the rubble of the collapsed building. Operations continue to rescue those still trapped.#BhiwandiBuildingCollapse #MaharashtraNews
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Building collapses are still a problem in many cities in India, especially during monsoon season when older structures are more prone to water damage and weakened foundations. In Bhiwandi, a city of industrial and residential facilities and a rapidly expanding population, similar incidents occurred in the past as well, raising questions about building quality, unauthorised modifications and enforceability of building safety standards.
Experts have repeatedly called for regular structural inspections of older buildings, particularly those housing large numbers of residents and have argued, in large part, that timely inspections and repairs can prevent tragedies like these and save lives.
Rescue efforts continue to search for survivors as the night wears on, and authorities search for any survivors under the rubble. This has once again shown that building safety regulations and monitoring of ageing residential buildings in the country need to be strengthened.
The local community is in a state of disbelief, and the people in the city are still mourning the loss of lives, hoping that those still trapped can be rescued safely. We expect more information when rescue teams look at the cause of the collapse and where it will go next.
