Thane (Maharashtra): Four persons were killed and at least 12 persons have been rescued from the debris after a two-storey godown collapsed on Saturday in Bhiwandi in Maharashtra's Thane district, while 10-12 persons are still feared trapped, a civic official said.
The godown situated in Wardhaman Compound in Valpada in Mankoli, which collapsed at 1:45 pm, had four families occupying the upper floors while workers were present on the ground floor, Regional Disaster Management Cell chief Avinash Sawant said. Rescue operations underway since the last seven hours were carried out manually initially after which a dog squad and two earth-movers were deployed late in the evening, Sawant said.
"The bodies of a 40-year-old man and 26-year-old woman have been taken out from the debris, while 12 persons have been rescued and are being treated for injuries. We fear some 10-12 persons may still be trapped underneath," Sawant said late evening. As per the inputs from the ground, two more people have lost their lives in the mishap. A release from the collectorate said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the deceased, while medical expenses of the injured would be borne by the state government.
Also read: 17 cops injured as vehicle overturns in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri
The CM has instructed officials to ensure proper coordination among all agencies involved in the search and rescue operations, the release added. Earlier, officials said teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), ten fire engines as well as personnel from various agencies from Bhiwandi and Thane were involved in the search and rescue operations.
Senior officials, including Thane Collector Ashok Shingare, were monitoring the search and rescue operations in the presence of Union Minister Kapil Patil, who is the Lok Sabha MP from Bhiwandi. (Agency inputs)
