17 killed in Palghar building collapse, Fadnavis announces Rs 5 lakh aid

Seventeen people, including a child, died after an allegedly illegal four-storey building collapsed in Virar, Palghar district. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis announced Rs 5 lakh assistance to families of the deceased, while NDRF-led rescue operations continue in the congested locality

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday expressed grief over the death of 17 persons in a building collapse at Virar in Palghar district and announced an assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the deceased.

The building, which was allegedly unauthorised and housed nearly 50 flats, collapsed on an adjacent vacant tenement at Vijay Nagar in Virar area of Palghar, adjoining Mumbai, at 12.05 am on Wednesday, according to officials.

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A one-year-old girl’s birthday party was underway on the fourth floor when 12 flats in a wing of the building collapsed, trapping residents and guests under the debris, as per eyewitnesses. The child was among the deceased.

Police have arrested the builder of the four-storey structure, Ramabai Apartment, after the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) lodged a complaint, the official said. Seventeen persons have died so far, and Chief Minister Fadnavis has expressed profound grief and paid heartfelt tribute to the deceased, a statement from the CM’s Office said.

“We share the sorrow of all these families, and at the same time, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced financial assistance of 5 lakh rupees to the heirs of the deceased,” it said. So far, nine persons have been rescued safely, the statement said.

Rescue operations have been underway with the help of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for the past 48 hours, and they will conclude in the next few hours, it added. Constructed in 2012, Ramabai Apartment has 50 flats, and the collapsed part had 12 apartments, District Disaster Management Officer Vivekanand Kadam earlier said.

A spokesperson of the VVMC had called the building “illegal”. The debris removal was delayed because officials initially struggled to bring heavy machinery to the crashed building located in a congested locality.

“All affected families have been temporarily housed at Chandansar Samajmandir. We are providing food, water, medical assistance, and other essential services,” VVMC assistant commissioner Gilson Gonsalves said.