Stuck Under Killer Mumbai Billboard, People Honked To Signal They're Alive

In the moments after Mumbai's killer billboard crashed on a fuel pump, people trapped under the 250-tonne structure kept honking their car horns, hoping that whoever comes to rescue them will know that they are alive. Some survived with injuries, others with trauma, 16 people didn't make it.

Poorbaji Myule, a cab driver, was at the Ghatkopar fuel pump Monday afternoon for gas. That's when the storm struck. "Many people had come to the fuel pump to take shelter from the rain. Moments later, the huge billboard came crashing down. I cannot describe how scary that sound was. It was so scary that my limbs are trembling as I recount it," Mr Myule told NDTV.

The cab driver, who suffered a shoulder injury in the incident, was trapped in the debris for over an hour. "I kept shouting for help for an hour. Nothing happened. Then two people removed the debris on my car, broke the window glass and rescued me. I suffered the injury when they were pulling me out," he said.

Describing the chilling scenes he saw once he was out, Mr Myule said, "Everyone was blowing the horn to signal that they are alive."

Another survivor, Farhaan Khan, said he was waiting for his turn at the fuel pump when the rain started. "We saw the billboard coming down, but before we could run, it had crashed on top of us. For some moments, it was complete darkness. When we regained senses, we tried to come out of the debris. It took us nearly an hour," he said.

"People were crying, shouting for help. But nobody came forward. People were shooting videos, but not coming near us. When we managed to come out, we requested many people to help those who are stuck, but they did not. For about an hour, no one got any help. All those who came out did so on their own. Help came about one-and-a-half-hour later. Some people had come out, but their family members were trapped. They were begging for help," Mr Khan said, adding that he could not help much because he was injured too.

"Someone had lost his hand, someone had a head injury. We were in shock, we were just crying," he said. Mr Khan has suffered injuries in his hands, right shoulder and left leg.

Sampat Rajguru was among those who survived with a scratch. "I was at the fuel pump for refuelling when the crash took place. I was trapped for over two hours. All around me, I could hear cries for help. People were crying, begging others to rescue them, some were blowing horns to signal they are alive," he said.

Mr Rajguru recounted that the driver of the car next to him honked as a signal. "We were honking at each other. An hour later, the horn stopped," he said. "When the firefighters came, they asked if anyone is trapped. I shouted back and was pulled out shortly after."

The tragedy in the Maximum City has sparked massive outrage over civic negligence. A case of culpable homicide has been filed against Bhavesh Bhinde, owner of the advertising agency that erected the billboard. Bhinde, who has more than 20 cases against him, is on the run.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the people killed in the incident. He has also said the state government will bear the treatment costs of those injured.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has said it had not given permission for the hoarding and had raising the matter with the owner and others concerned for the past two years. Following the incident, several other large hoardings in the city have been taken down.