A three-storey chawl collapsed in the Bharat Nagar area of Bandra East, Mumbai, early Friday morning, with several people feared trapped in the debris, according to civic officials.
Preliminary investigations suggest a cylinder blast may have triggered the collapse.
“According to the initial investigation, a cylinder blast occurred in the building,” officials stated.
The incident occurred around 5:56 AM, with chawl number 37 collapsing partially. So far, 12 people have been rescued and admitted to Bhabha Hospital, a nearby civic-run facility, where they are undergoing treatment. According to media, at least seven more individuals are feared trapped.
Relief and rescue operations are being conducted by the Mumbai Fire Department, Mumbai Police, and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
“Search and rescue operation is underway. Further details are awaited,” said a civic official.
A fire brigade official told PTI that eight fire engines are deployed at the scene, along with local ward teams and other emergency services.
Delhi Building Collapse: 6 Dead, 8 Injured
In a separate incident in northeast Delhi’s Welcome area, a four-storey building collapsed early Saturday, claiming the lives of six family members, including a two-year-old girl, and leaving eight others injured.
The deceased have been identified as Abdul Matloob, 50 (the building owner), his wife Rabia, 46, sons Javed, 23, and Abdulla, 15, daughter Zubia, 27, and granddaughter Fozia, 2. Their bodies were sent to GTB Hospital, according to a senior police officer.
Among the injured are Matloob’s other sons Parvez, 32, and Naved, 19, Parvez’s wife Siza, 21, and their one-year-old son Ahmad.
In addition, four residents of a nearby building—Govind, 60, Deepa, 56, Ravi Kashyap, 27, and his wife Jyoti, 27—sustained injuries after debris struck their house.
Authorities are investigating both incidents as part of growing concerns over structural safety in densely populated urban areas.