Khushi Thapa, Mumbai Uncensored, 19th July 2022:
An investigation has shown that seven people were hurt when a ground plus one-story building fell in Bhiwandi on Tuesday, July 19.
The tragedy happened at 7 am at the Mobin Masters building, which was first constructed as a power loom unit with a first floor intended for residential use.
In the wee hours of Tuesday, the neighbors heard a big crash, and they immediately raced to help.
Six of the seven injured were transported and given first aid at Bhiwandi’s Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital. In a private hospital in Bhiwandi, only one man who has injuries to his abdomen and leg is still a patient.
The room next to the stated structure, which was situated in Bhiwandi’s Pajarapool neighborhood next to the Nishan Hotel, was home to about 6 laborers.
The Bhiwandi Fire brigade received a report at around 7:20 am, and two fire engines immediately raced to the scene. Later, representatives of the local civic organization arrived.
The reports stated the structure was demolished and designated “hazardous” by the Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC) over five years ago. The building did, however, collapse into a nearby chawl, injuring people.
As soon as the villagers arrived at the scene, they began freeing people trapped in the rubble. Danish, a young child, was totally entangled in the rubble. They managed to pull him out safely with the help of the fire brigade.
A local expressed dissatisfaction about the lack of resources and prompt action, claiming that initially, only one ambulance was available and that it was despatched with four injured people. Later, assistance from the fire department and local authorities arrived. We enlisted the assistance of the fire department to rescue the young victim as well as another child who had sustained the most serious injuries.
Given that the structure is close to 30 to 35 years old, the required safety precautions were taken to empty it. However, unauthorized encampments encroached on the vacant land next to the structure. According to a BNCMC representative, people living in the chawls also took a life-threatening risk.
