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| Mumbai building collapse kills dozens | Mumbai building collapse kills dozens |
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| A residential building being constructed illegally in a suburb of Mumbai has collapsed, killing at least 47 people, including 17 children, and injuring 70 others. | A residential building being constructed illegally in a suburb of Mumbai has collapsed, killing at least 47 people, including 17 children, and injuring 70 others. |
| The eight-storey structure in Thane caved in on Thursday evening, police said, as rescuers armed with sledgehammers, saws and hydraulic jacks struggled to break through the rubble in a search for survivors. Six bulldozers were sent to the scene. "There may be a possibility people have been trapped inside," Police Commissioner KP Raghuvanshi said. | The eight-storey structure in Thane caved in on Thursday evening, police said, as rescuers armed with sledgehammers, saws and hydraulic jacks struggled to break through the rubble in a search for survivors. Six bulldozers were sent to the scene. "There may be a possibility people have been trapped inside," Police Commissioner KP Raghuvanshi said. |
| Up to 150 people were in the property at the time of the collapse, witnesses said, adding that the majority were residents or construction workers who were living at the site as they worked on it. | Up to 150 people were in the property at the time of the collapse, witnesses said, adding that the majority were residents or construction workers who were living at the site as they worked on it. |
| Many of the injured had head wounds, fractures and spinal damage and were taken to a nearby hospital. | Many of the injured had head wounds, fractures and spinal damage and were taken to a nearby hospital. |
| More than 20 people were reported missing on Friday afternoon as three floors of the building were yet to be searched, said RS Rajesh, an official with the National Disaster Response Force. "All three floors are sandwiched so it is very difficult for us," he added. | More than 20 people were reported missing on Friday afternoon as three floors of the building were yet to be searched, said RS Rajesh, an official with the National Disaster Response Force. "All three floors are sandwiched so it is very difficult for us," he added. |
| At least four storeys had been completed and were occupied. Workers were adding the eighth floor when it caved in, Police Inspector Digamber Jangale said. It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse, but Raghuvanshi said the building was probably poorly built. Detectives were searching for the builders to arrest them, he added. | At least four storeys had been completed and were occupied. Workers were adding the eighth floor when it caved in, Police Inspector Digamber Jangale said. It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse, but Raghuvanshi said the building was probably poorly built. Detectives were searching for the builders to arrest them, he added. |
| Building collapses are common in India as construction workers sometimes use poor-quality materials to cut costs. The massive demand for housing around the cities, and pervasive corruption, allow builders to add unauthorised floors or construct entire buildings illegally. | Building collapses are common in India as construction workers sometimes use poor-quality materials to cut costs. The massive demand for housing around the cities, and pervasive corruption, allow builders to add unauthorised floors or construct entire buildings illegally. |
| The neighbourhood where the building collapsed was part of a belt of more than 2,000 illegal structures that had sprung up in recent years, said Sandeep Malvi, the town spokesman. "Notices have been served several times for such illegal construction, sometimes notices are sent 10 times for the same building," he added. | The neighbourhood where the building collapsed was part of a belt of more than 2,000 illegal structures that had sprung up in recent years, said Sandeep Malvi, the town spokesman. "Notices have been served several times for such illegal construction, sometimes notices are sent 10 times for the same building," he added. |
| GR Khairnar, a former Mumbai official, said government figures who allowed the illegal construction of properties in Thane should be tried along with the builders. "There are a lot of people involved in illegal construction – builders, government machinery, police, municipal corporation – everybody is involved in this process," he told CNN-IBN television. | GR Khairnar, a former Mumbai official, said government figures who allowed the illegal construction of properties in Thane should be tried along with the builders. "There are a lot of people involved in illegal construction – builders, government machinery, police, municipal corporation – everybody is involved in this process," he told CNN-IBN television. |
| The collapsed building had been illegally constructed on forest land, and the city had twice informed forestry officials about it, Malvi said. | The collapsed building had been illegally constructed on forest land, and the city had twice informed forestry officials about it, Malvi said. |
| A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, accused officials of turning a blind eye to the problem: "They made an eight-storey building out of what was supposed to be four-storey. People from the municipality used to visit the building but the builder continued to add floors." | A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, accused officials of turning a blind eye to the problem: "They made an eight-storey building out of what was supposed to be four-storey. People from the municipality used to visit the building but the builder continued to add floors." |
| In one of the worst recent collapses, nearly 70 people were killed in November 2010 when a block of flats in a congested New Delhi neighbourhood crumpled. That building was two floors higher than legally allowed and its foundation appeared to have been weakened by water damage. | In one of the worst recent collapses, nearly 70 people were killed in November 2010 when a block of flats in a congested New Delhi neighbourhood crumpled. That building was two floors higher than legally allowed and its foundation appeared to have been weakened by water damage. |
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