19 Dead After 4-Storey Mumbai Building Collapses

19 people died after a four-storey building collapsed In Mumbai's Kurla at around 11.30 pm on Monday night. six others are injured.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that several have been rescued from the debris and taken to hospitals in the area. Two men, aged 28 and 30, among those brought to the Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar, were declared dead on arrival, a civic official said.

Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray reached the spot last night and took stock of the rescue operation underway, which is being undertaken by the fire department and the National Disaster Response Fund team.

Maharashtra Minister Subhash Desai has said that the family of the dead will be given Rs 5 lakh each while the injured will get free treatment.

"Rs 5 lakh to be given to the family of the dead and the injured will be given free treatment. The incident will be investigated and action will be taken against those responsible. A meeting has been called to ensure that such an incident doesn't happen again," said Subhash Desai.

Former local corporator Praveena Morajkar said that the residents of the building, along with three others in the area, had been served notices to evacuate the building, however those that were staying on rent did not leave. 

The owner of the building is still not known, she said. 

BMC Additional Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said that the collapsed building was dilapidated, and since 2013 notices were first given for repair and then to demolish the building, ANI reported.

The building residents had even given an undertaking that they would stay there at their risk and cost, she said.

Speaking to ANI, Mr Thackeray said, "Whenever BMC issues notices, (buildings) should be vacated themselves...otherwise, such incidents happen, which is unfortunate...It's now important to take action on this,"

He added that the priority was to rescue everyone. "In the morning we'll look into evacuation and demolition of these buildings so that nearby people aren't troubled," he said.

In videos taken at the site, rescue personnel are seen scaling what remains of the building. They work to remove the debris under which at least four people are feared to be buried.

NCP leader Supriya Sule said she was "extremely saddened by the loss of lives" due to the building collapse.

Preliminary investigation revealed that there were about 21 people in the building at the time.

A wing of the residential building, located in Kurla's Naik Nagar Society, collapsed around midnight, official told PTI, adding that the connected wing was likely to collapse.

The fire brigade reached the spot after receiving a call about the incident from locals. They informed the fire brigade personnel that around 20-22 people were trapped under the debris. 

A dozen fire engines were deployed at the spot along with two rescue vans and other fire brigade equipment, the official said.

This is the third major building collapse incident in the metropolis this month.

(Inputs from ANI and PTI)