Dangerous Building Collapses in Bhiwandi 9 Dead, More Feared Trapped

At least nine people have reportedly died after a portion of a four-storey residential building collapsed in Maharashtra’s Bhiwandi, near Mumbai.

The incident occurred late Thursday night at the Kohinoor Building in Balaji Nagar’s Gangaram Wada area. Rescue teams continued searching through the debris on Friday amid fears that more people could still be trapped.

Residents Heard Cracking Sounds

Preliminary information suggests that residents heard loud cracking noises from the structure between 8 pm and 9 pm.

Local people sensed danger and helped several families leave the building. However, a section of the building’s B Wing collapsed between approximately 11 pm and 11.30 pm while some residents and repair workers were reportedly still inside.

Building Was Declared Dangerous

Officials said the Kohinoor Building had previously been classified as dangerous by the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation.

Despite the warning, repair work was reportedly underway at the property when the collapse occurred.

The four-storey structure contained 48 rooms, with 12 rooms on each floor.

Residents and Workers Reported Missing

Initial reports indicated that six building occupants and five workers involved in repair work were missing.

Fire officials earlier confirmed recovering eight bodies from the rubble, while the report’s subsequently updated headline placed the death toll at nine. The identities of some workers were yet to be established.

NDRF Leads Rescue Operation

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force, Bhiwandi Fire Brigade and Bhoiwada Police Station were deployed at the site.

Trained sniffer dogs, ambulances and a JCB excavator were also being used to locate people beneath the debris.

The recovered bodies were sent to IGM Hospital as identification and other official procedures continued.

Cause Yet to Be Confirmed

Authorities have not officially determined the exact cause of the collapse.

The fact that the building had already been declared unsafe is expected to raise serious questions about continued occupancy, repair permissions and enforcement by civic authorities.

WHY THIS MATTERS

The tragedy once again highlights the danger posed by ageing and unsafe buildings in densely populated urban areas.

Declaring a structure dangerous is not enough unless residents are safely rehabilitated, repair work is closely supervised and evacuation orders are effectively enforced.

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