11 killed in Thane building crash

Thane: Eleven people were killed when a three-storey building came crashing down in Maharashtra's Thane city early Tuesday, an official said.

The 50-year old building, Krishna Nivas, crashed around 2.30 a.m. in Naupada area when the residents were asleep.

"We were all sleeping. Suddenly, the floors started moving and before we could run to safety, the building came crashing down with a loud sound," one of the survivors told mediapersons.

While five people have been rescued, six more are feared trapped under the debris. Efforts are underway to save them.

Seven women are among the dead. A majority of victims belong to the Bhatt and Sawant families.

Thane Collector Ashwini Joshi and Guardian Minister Eknath Shinde reached the site to supervise relief operations.

Rescuers worked quickly to help the injured.

A top Thane official said though the building was old, it was not dilapidated, adding the reasons for the collapse would be known only after a proper investigation.

This is the second major crash in the district in the past one week. On July 29, Matruchhaya Building collapsed, killing nine occupants and injuring five.

NCP executive president Jitendra Awhad expressed concern over the two collapses and demanded a scientific probe into how the building could just collapse without any warning.

Shinde said the only remedy to check collapse would be to speedily renovate all old and dilapidated buildings.