The death toll from the massive hoarding collapse in Mumbai rose to 14 in the early hours of Tuesday. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) conducted overnight rescue operations to save those trapped. At least 74 people have been injured in the incident.
NDRF Inspector Gaurav Chauhan informed news agency AFP that eight bodies have been recovered after excavators dug through the wreckage to rescue those trapped under the collapsed billboard. He added that four more bodies remain buried in the rubble. “We have located them but we cannot remove them due to this petrol pump and the situation can be hazardous,” he said.
President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar expressed their condolences for the lives lost in the Ghatkopar incident in Mumbai. They also wished a speedy recovery for those injured in the hoarding collapse.
Mumbai hoarding collapse:
- On Monday, a 70-meter billboard collapsed in Mumbai's Ghatkopar following heavy rain and thunderstorms that swept through the city. The illegal hoarding toppled onto a petrol pump located at Ghatkopar's Cheddanagar Junction.
- Rescue operations began on Monday evening, with 64 people admitted to the hospital for treatment. Throughout the night, the NDRF carried out rescue efforts, utilizing excavators to sift through the debris in order to recover the bodies still trapped under the rubble.
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde arrived at the scene of the incident to assess the situation firsthand. He also declared an ex gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased and pledged support for the treatment of the injured individuals.
- The BMC confirmed that the billboard was erected illegally, without obtaining prior permissions from the corporation. Mumbai police have taken action by registering a case under sections IPC 304, 338, 337, and 34 against owner Bhavesh Bhide and others involved, at Pantnagar police station.