Palghar: The death toll in the collapse of a building at Virar in Maharashtra’s Palghar district has gone up to 15 with the recovery of three more bodies overnight, officials said on Thursday.
The unauthorised four-storey building, housing nearly 50 flats, collapsed on an adjacent vacant tenement at Vijay Nagar in Virar area at 12.05 am on Wednesday, they said.
“15 people have died. Nine people are injured and are being treated. Residents here say that 2 people are missing and rescue operations are on to find them,” Sanjay Hirwade, Additional Commissioner of Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation, told reporters.
The Vasai Virar police on Thursday arrested the builder of the Palghar building that collapsed on Tuesday night, officials said. The builder, identified as 50-year-old Niley Sane, has been booked under sections 52, 53, 54 of the MRTP Act and section 105 of the BNS.
“Vasai Virar police have arrested the builder who had constructed the building. The said individual has been arrested under various sections, including attempt to murder and negligence. The builder has been identified as Niley Sane, aged 50. Builder has been booked under sections 52, 53, 54 of the MRTP(Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act) and BNS 105,” Vasai Virar police said in a statement.
According to NDRF Deputy Commander Pramod Singh, “Two teams of the NDRF responded to the accident site–one from Mumbai and one from Palghar. As soon as the information was received at 12 am, the nearest team responded immediately.”
Emergency services, including the fire brigade, local police, and NDRF teams, are carrying out rescue operations. Barricades have been put up to control the crowd, and experts are checking the safety of nearby buildings. Some residents in adjoining structures have been temporarily evacuated as a precaution.
The incident took place around midnight, when the rear portion of the building collapsed onto a nearby chawl, trapping several people under the rubble. The injured are being treated at hospitals in Virar and Nalasopara, with a few in serious condition.
Authorities continue their search to make sure no one is still trapped and are investigating the exact cause of the collapse.
