20 trapped under rubble
2005-08-23 08:18
Ramola Talwar Badam
Mumbai - A residential building collapsed in downtown Mumbai on Tuesday, leaving 10 dead, 18 injured and more than a dozen still trapped under debris, a top city administrator said.
The dilapidated four-storied structure, more than 100 years old, was home to 16 families, said Johny Joseph, Mumbai's municipal commissioner. The building caved in as most residents were sleeping, he said.
At least 47 people were rescued and 28 of them were taken to a nearby hospital. At least 10 of the injured died in, or on their way to, hospital, Joseph said.
At least 20 people were still trapped under the debris, he said.
Rescue officials also evacuated residents of two buildings adjoining the collapsed structure, while local residents helped in clearing wood and tin debris. Rescue work was hampered because the building could be approached only through a single lane, which was narrow and crowded.
Building collapses, especially during the monsoon, are common in Mumbai, where there more than 16 000 dilapidated buildings have been declared unsafe.
City officials repeatedly slap evacuation notices, but residents of these buildings - mostly low-income families - have ignored the orders. The landlords of these buildings rarely spend money on their upkeep.
- SAPA