Two people, including a one-year-old child, were killed and nine others injured after a section of a residential building collapsed in Maharashtra’s Palghar district early Wednesday, officials said.
The incident occurred around 12:05 a.m. when the rear portion of the four-storey Ramabai Apartment on Narangi Road in Vasai gave way, crashing onto an adjacent chawl, according to the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVMC).
Rescue teams pulled 11 people from the debris, two of whom were declared dead. The deceased were identified as Aarohi Omkar Jovil (24) and Utkarsha Jovil (1). The injured have been shifted to hospitals in Virar and Nalasopara for treatment, officials confirmed.
"The immediate focus is on ensuring no one remains trapped under the rubble. Search operations are ongoing with advanced equipment and trained rescue teams," said Vivekanand Kadam, District Disaster Management Officer, Palghar.
NDRF, Fire Department Deployed On Site
Two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) units and fire department teams were deployed to the site shortly after the collapse. A temporary barricade has been erected to control crowds and facilitate rescue operations.
Structural engineers have begun inspecting the remaining portions of the building to assess the risk of further collapse. Authorities have also evacuated residents from nearby structures as a precautionary measure.
"We are working with municipal authorities to determine the structural integrity of adjoining buildings and identify the cause of the collapse," Kadam added.
The incident has raised concerns about building safety standards in Vasai-Virar, where unregulated construction and ageing structures have often been flagged as risks. Officials have assured a detailed investigation into the incident.