A tragic incident in a C2B category building in Thane has brought attention to the safety of aging structures in the region. On Sunday morning, a 5-year-old girl died and three others were injured when ceiling plaster collapsed in a residential building in Thane. The accident occurred around 8:00 AM in Room No. 1 on the ground floor of B Wing in Banoo Tower, located in Jeevan Bagh, Mumbra.
The 30-year-old building, which has a ground floor plus five stories, saw the kitchen ceiling plaster give way in the apartment owned by Mr. Aslam Qureshi and rented by Mr. Umar Sheikh.
The victims have been identified as:
- Uneja Sheikh (female, 5 years old): Suffered severe injuries and was rushed to Burhani Hospital, where she was declared dead by medical officers.
- Umar Sheikh (male, 23 years old): Sustained minor injuries.
- Muskan Sheikh (female, 21 years old): Suffered minor injuries.
- Ijaan Sheikh (male, 1 year old): Received minor injuries.
Local authorities, including officers from Mumbra Police Station, junior engineers from the Public Works Department, and staff from the Encroachment Department, were present at the scene.
The building, categorized as C2B, consists of 20 apartments and 6 shops. Buildings in the C2B category are typically those requiring major structural repairs but not immediate evacuation. Residents of the Banoo Tower had previously been issued notices for repairs. Following the incident, the affected apartment has been evacuated and sealed. The PWD Department and Encroachment Department will be conducting further proceedings as per the information received.