A four-storey building partially collapsed in Maharashtra's Bhiwandi on Friday, leaving two dead and trapping several people under the debris, triggering a large-scale rescue operation. Preliminary reports suggest that six to 10 people may be trapped beneath the rubble, including labourers working inside the structure.
The incident occurred at the Kohinoor Building in Bhandari Compound, Narpoli, near Tawre Compound in Gangaram Wadi. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Thane Disaster Response Force (TDRF), the Bhiwandi Fire Brigade, police, and local authorities rushed to the site soon after receiving information about the collapse. Rescue efforts are continuing on a war footing as emergency personnel search for survivors, as per media reports.
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According to officials, the structure had reportedly been declared unsafe and evacuated following multiple safety notices. However, despite the evacuation order, repair work was allegedly underway on the ground floor when a portion of the building collapsed.
Bhiwandi West MLA Mahesh Chougule said, "This is the Kohinoor Building in Bhandari Compound, Narpoli. There was another building adjacent to it. The Municipal Corporation had classified it as 'Category C', meaning it was deemed dangerous. Although the building had been vacated, some people were working on the ground floor. It appears that around six or seven people might be trapped, comprising the labourers who were working there. The NDRF team has arrived, and the police are present as well. The entire Municipal Corporation team is engaged in the effort."
The collapse has also raised serious questions over safety compliance. Authorities are expected to investigate why repair work was allowed inside a building that had already been declared unsafe and evacuated, and whether safety protocols were adequately enforced. Repeated failures to enforce safety codes have left the city vulnerable to illegal construction, raising serious doubts about the structural integrity of its buildings, reports said.
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