Palghar, 28 Aug

The death toll in the collapse of a building at Virar in Maharashtra's Palghar district has gone up to 17 with the recovery of three more bodies overnight, officials said on Thursday.

The unauthorised four-storey Ramabai Apartment, housing nearly 50 flats, collapsed on an adjacent vacant tenement at Vijay Nagar in Virar area of Palghar, adjoining Mumbai, at 12.05 am on Wednesday, they said.

A one-year-old girl's birthday party was underway on the fourth floor when 12 flats in a wing of the building collapsed, trapping residents and guests under the debris, as per eyewitnesses.

Palghar District Collector Dr Indu Rani Jakhar on Thursday morning confirmed that the death toll in the incident has gone up to 17.

The girl, whose birthday was being celebrated when the incident occurred, was among the deceased.

Six other persons, who were injured and rescued, were undergoing treatment in various hospitals, according to an official from the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC).

Emergency teams, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local police and fire department, continued to sift through the rubble to check if any other people remain trapped.

The work of clearing the debris will continue to ensure no other person was trapped under the rubble, the collector told PTI.

"The work is almost complete, but we want to be absolutely sure before concluding the operation,” she added.

The authorities on Wednesday identified seven of the deceased.

Eyewitnesses described the horrifying scene, where a moment of happiness turned to chaos in an instant.

"People were dancing and celebrating (during the birthday party) when suddenly the entire structure collapsed like a pack of cards," said a survivor.

The aftermath was marked by chaos and panic, with people screaming and accusing the builder of negligence.

Residents claimed that unlike previous incidents of building collapses where cracks or structural weaknesses were visible beforehand, there were no such warning signs here.

The sudden collapse has raised serious concerns over building safety and unauthorised constructions in the area.

Locals have alleged "lethargy and negligence" on part of the builder and authorities, with many demanding a thorough investigation into how the unauthorised structure was allowed to house so many residents without proper safety measures.

Police on Wednesday arrested the builder after the VVMC lodged a complaint.

Luckily, the chawl or tenement on which the building collapsed was vacant, District Disaster Management Officer Vivekanand Kadam earlier said.

As a precautionary measure, all the chawls around the ill-fated building have been vacated and occupants shifted to safer places, he said.

Constructed in 2012, Ramabai Apartment has 50 flats, and the collapsed part had 12 apartments, said Kadam.

A spokesperson of the VVMC confirmed that the building was “illegal".

The removal of debris was delayed because officials initially struggled to bring heavy machinery to the crashed building located in a congested locality.

The collapse has rendered several families homeless.

"All affected families have been temporarily housed at Chandansar Samajmandir. We are providing food, water, medical assistance, and other essential services," VVMC assistant commissioner Gilson Gonsalves said.