The death toll after a large hoarding collapsed in Maharashtra’s Ghatkopar area has risen to 14 on Tuesday, May 14.
According to the National Disaster Rescue Force, 74 people have been rescued alive from the spot, while 14 have been declared dead.
The count of total victims stands at 88.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been conducting rescue operation for those trapped since Monday evening, when the incident happened due to heavy rains and strong winds.
#WATCH | Mumbai: The death toll in the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse incident has risen to 14. There were a total of 88 victims, out of which 74 were rescued injured: NDRF
— ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2024
(Morning visuals of the rescue operations from the spot) pic.twitter.com/vggAIlfY3g
NDRF Inspector Gaurav Chauhan told ANI, “The incident was reported at around 5 pm. A huge advertising hoarding fell on a petrol pump. Around 65 people have been rescued. NDRF has rescued three people and located four dead bodies under the rubble. We are unable to use hydraulic and gasoline equipment to avoid any fire incident. We are using cranes to remove the debris. NDRF has rescued three victims. Before that 65 had been rescued. The rescue operations will continue till the morning.”
Notably, Mumbai police have registered a case under IPC 304, 338, 337, and 34 against owner Bhavesh Bhide and others at Pantnagar police station.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has also announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased. Shinde also said that the government will bear all expenses for the treatment of those injured.
President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar have condoled deaths of eight people and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
In a post on X, President Murmu said, “The news of several casualties due to the collapse of a hoarding in Ghatkopar area of Mumbai is extremely sad. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured and wish for the success of the relief and rescue operations.”
Limca Book of Records, months after installations, BMC hurries to call it illegal
The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has declared yesterday that the hoarding was illegal and it violated their rule of the maximum allowed size for hoarding in the city, which is 40×40.
However, the hoarding was not new. It has reportedly been there for months and was registered in the Limca Book of Records as India’s largest hoarding. Its size was over 17,000 square feet.
According to the BMC, there were four hoardings at the place and all of them were approved by ACP (Admin) for the Commissioner of Police (Railways Mumbai). The BMC added that no permission was sought from them before erecting the hoarding by the ad agency or Railways.
However, the Central Railway has refuted the claim, adding that the hoarding was not on their land and the issue is not in any way related to railways.
This hoarding is not on Railway land and it is not in anyway related to Indian Railways.
— Central Railway (@Central_Railway) May 13, 2024
Rescue operations are still ongoing. BMC has posted that since the hoarding fell on a petrol pump, the rescue efforts have to be extra careful. Coordinated efforts of several agencies and private organisations is currently underway to remove the debris and rescue the persons trapped.
BMC’s Mumbai Fire Brigade, N Ward Office, Mumbai Police, 108 Ambulance Service, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), MMRDA, Bharat Petroleum, Mahanagar Gas, Adani Energy etc are helping in the rescue operations, BMC posted.
( With inputs from ANI)
