Mumbai Fire Brigade evacuates 21 families from building

The Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) had to evacuate 21 families from a ground-plus-six-storey Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) building in Modi Street at Fort on Monday morning after the window of one of the flats appeared to be leaning downwards. The families have been asked not to reside in the building for at least two days as the MHADA's Mumbai Repair and Reconstruction Board will be carrying out propping work of the building.

Avinash Gawde, a neighbour, noticed that the window of one of the flats appeared to be leaning downwards of Vijay Bhawan. "I called the Mumbai Fire Brigade to avert any major accident," said Gawde.

Sumant Bhange, Chief Officer, Mumbai Repair and Reconstruction Board, MHADA said, "We received a call from BMC's disaster cell that one of the windows was in a dangerous position. The building has been vacated for propping." He added that some balconies are also in a dangerous position for which MHADA has started further propping and demolition of the dangerous portions.

The MHADA had carried out the building's reconstruction in 1989 and the tenants were not ready to move out. The residents claimed that they cannot move out of the building for a long time and there is no certainty that they will get alternate accommodation if they vacate.