24 killed in Mumbai building collapse

crvlvr

MUMBAI, India - At least 24 people were killed and nine others injured when a seven-story building collapsed in Mumbai, officials said Thursday as rescue workers continued to dig through the rubble for survivors.

At least 10 others were feared trapped in the rubble of the residential building in Mumbai's Borivali neighborhood, said Gopal Shetty, a state lawmaker. The building collapsed late Wednesday.

Rescue workers toiled through the night, often pulling aside chunks of masonry with their bare hands, in an attempt to find survivors.

"The priority is to rescue people who may be trapped inside," Shetty said.
...
"There was a huge sound and a crash," said Meghna Parekh, who lives nearby. "We rushed out and all we saw was this huge mountain of mud and no building."

The building housed several stores and a clinic in addition to residences.

It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse
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Full Story:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070719/...lding_collapse

Noodle

Very very bad story!

I would really like to know why this building collapsed.

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If in hole
stop digging.

Indian saying

Amyth

Reportedly, the shopkeepers at the ground floor had violated the construction laws and encroached 15 feet of area in front and to make things worse the pillars in the shops were demolished to gain more space, making the foundation weak, leading to the fall of the building...Appalling!!

The sad part is people making phone calls from inside the rubble for help!

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Smile -- it makes people wonder what you're up to

amarshah

I also happen to read that this bldg was repaired recently

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Cheers

Amar

Year 2008 Trips - http://amards14.googlepages.com/

AvidTrekker

Normally, a single pillar being shifted is not enuff to bring the entire structure down like a pack of cards. Acc to news reports, it was constructed in 1979 and repaired in 2005(??) meaning very shoddy construction and similar repair work.

Its the Municipal Inspector's duty to "pass" the construction and/or repairs as "safe" for occupants. They don't even bother to come and inspect at the site. Just collect money from the concerned builder / contractor. Some committee (of more corrupt bureaucrats) will be sat down to "investigate" and they will delay things till they are forgotten.

God is actually running this Country, else we'd have such things happening every single day. Its a miracle such things are not a regular occurrence.

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The Universe is an ellipsoid?... or a Spheroid?? If the sphere smiles... it becomes an ellipse. This IS Creation.

crvlvr

The "repair" probably comprised of knocking down some of the support columns as Amyth indicates