Bhiwandi building collapse: Death toll rises to three as NDRF continues search and rescue operations

According to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), three bodies have so far been recovered from the site, while search and rescue operations are continuing to trace any remaining persons who may be trapped under the rubble.

The four-storey building partially collapsed late on Thursday night in Bhiwandi, triggering a large-scale rescue operation involving the NDRF.

Officials are yet to ascertain the exact cause of the collapse, and further details are awaited.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the number of people who were inside the building at the time of the incident.

The latest incident comes weeks after a deadly structural accident in Maharashtra's Pimpri Chinchwad, where a garbage heap collapsed onto a building at the Moshi garbage depot on July 8, killing nine people.

Following the Moshi tragedy, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Vijay Suryavanshi directed officials to complete the preliminary inquiry at the earliest and register a police case against the contractor company concerned. During a review meeting with senior civic officials, he also instructed authorities to issue notices to the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation's Environment Department and contractor Antony Lara Renewable.

The July 8 accident occurred at around 1.30 pm when a heap of garbage collapsed onto a building, trapping several people beneath the debris. Rescue operations were carried out jointly by the NDRF, the Indian Army, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, the PMRDA Fire Department, police and other agencies.

Reacting to the Moshi incident, Union Minister of State Ramdas Athawale termed the tragedy "deeply distressing" and stressed the need to demolish structurally unsafe buildings to prevent such accidents. He said the government had provided Rs 25 lakh as compensation to the affected families and assured that necessary steps would be taken to avoid similar incidents in the future. (ANI)