Bhiwandi building collapse: Two killed, death toll likely to rise

Bhiwandi (Maharashtra), Aug. 7 (ANI): As many as two people were killed after a two-storey building collapsed in Hanuman tekri area of Bhiwandi this morning. At least four people have been rescued so far. "Two people have died. Both were owners of the building. The condition of the building was very bad. The Municipal Corporation has been sending it notice since the last two years. Few people left while some of them stayed. The NDRF and the fire fighter team have rescued few people. Six people are still trapped inside. We are trying to safely take them out," Sharad Shelar, Joint Commissioner of Police, Thane, told ANI. Bhiwandi MP Kapil Patil, who took stock of the situation, said they had a meeting with the municipal corporation last week where an order was issued to vacate the buildings, which are in a bad state. "Notice was also given to the building, which collapsed today. Electricity and water supply was disconnected, but still the residents were not vacating it. I have asked the commission to forcefully take the residents out of the building with the help of the police. They should be given a temporary shelter," he added. This is the second such incident that has taken place in the city as eight people had died when a three-storey building collapsed in JB Nagar earlier on July 31. This incident comes barely days after a bridge on the Mumbai-Goa highway collapsed, killing at least 26 people. (ANI)