Six killed, 19 injured in Dockyard Road building collapse

MUMBAI, Sept 27:  Six persons, including three of a family, were killed and 19 injured after a five-storeyed Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) residential building collapsed in Mazgaon area here today.

“The death toll in the collapse has risen to six,” civic officials told, adding that many more people are believed to be trapped in the debris, even as rescue operations are underway.

Four of the deceased have been identified as Lakhoji Devji Chawda (60), Jamuna Chawda (30) Anil Chawda (19) and Santosh (44), they said.

The injured have been admitted to state-run JJ Hospital and Nair Hospital, civic sources said.

Chaos and confusion prevailed at the mishap site as kin of the victims failed to ascertain as to where they have been admitted.

About 21 families, who were primarily BMC’s tenants lived in the 30-year-old structure, which was categorised as a “C-2” building, which meant that it was in need of urgent repairs.

The residential building was located on the Brahmadev Khot Marg near Babu Genu market in the Mazgaon area, which is close to the Dockyard Road railway station on the suburban harbour railway line.

The fire brigade has sent 12 fire engines, four ambulances and two rescue vans to initiate rescue operations.

A 10-year-old boy is among those rescued by the fire brigade, sources said.

Names of those rescued so far are Anish Kadam (10), Diptesh Kadam (16), Habib Shaikh (22), Tauqeer Shaikh (22), Haroon Shaikh (24) and Ajay Chendvankar (40).

A fire fighter, D S Patil, was also injured during rescue operations.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan convened a meeting of senior officials today and asked them to ensure effective relief and rescue operations.

This happens to be the second major building collapse in Mumbai this year, after Aftab Mansion, a residential building in Mahim West collapsed in June, killing ten people. (PTI)