6 dead, 5 injured after bldg falls in Bandra

All victims under 17; building violated construction rules

Six children died and five others were injured after a five-storey building collapsed in the Behrampada slums at Bandra East on Thursday afternoon around 1.15 pm. Five fire engines and three ambulances were rushed to the spot within 15 minutes to control the situation.

A search-and-rescue operation was underway as locals feared that few more persons were trapped under the debris.

The deceased were identified as Ayesha Khan (12), Ali Khan (3.5 years), Osama Khan (14), Afifa Sadab (1), Aribi Khan (2), Rusuda Khan (16). Those injured include Zulfikar Khan (18), Sakia Khan (35), Daulat Sheikh (50), Salam Sheikh (34) and Islam Sheikh (17).

Even as a team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) joined the rescue operations within an hour of the building collapse, the fire brigade officials admitted that excavating the debris is a mammoth task given that the house is in a narrow alley and surrounded by other residential structures which too stand in precarious positions.

Chief fire officer P. Rahangdale said, “The entire area is a congested one, hence we can not think of slipping big machines into the alley. This has hampered the rescue operations greatly.”

Aslam Sadiq, a local said, “The pathway leading to the house is so narrow, only two people can enter the lane at one time.” Sakia Khan, who was stuck under debris, kept giving details of her position to the rescue team. She said that five children were trapped with her and that a pillar had pinned them down. Ms Khan also mentioned that she was in extreme pain and was having difficulty in breathing.

Local residents flashed torches under the debris in order to help the rescue team locate her exact position. By the time Ms Khan was rescued in the evening, her condition was critical.

Some locals said that work on the collapsed structure was underway and had begun on Thursday morning itself. “The building had developed several cracks.

The tragedy occurred when the workers were out for lunch. Work was supposed to start on Wednesday, but was stalled for a day because of Muharram,” said a local resident from Behrampada.

Assistant Municipal Commissioner of the H (East) ward, Prashant Gaikwad, under whose jurisdiction this area falls, said, “Everyone wants to increase the height of his or her house illegally. They don’t even check whether the structure is sound for making changes.”