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India building collapse near Mumbai kills 45 | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
At least 45 people have died, including 15 children, after a building being constructed illegally collapsed near the Indian city of Mumbai, police say. | |
About 70 people were injured and many are feared trapped beneath the seven-storey bloc in Thane after the incident on Thursday evening. | |
Building work was going on even though four floors were already occupied. A search for survivors is continuing. | |
Building collapses are common with poor construction practices often blamed. | Building collapses are common with poor construction practices often blamed. |
The authorities now say they are searching for the officials who were supervising the building works. | |
'Like a pack of cards' | |
The BBC's Sameer Hashmi, who is at the scene of the incident, says rescue workers are still trying to clear the debris. | |
Most people living in the building are from the low-to-middle income groups, our correspondent adds. | |
Witnesses say the construction of the building started just six weeks ago and in that time seven floors were built rapidly and the eighth floor was under construction. | |
Even though the construction was incomplete, the builders had allowed families to move in, our correspondent adds. | |
On Thursday evening a section of the building collapsed, bringing the entire structure down, police said. | On Thursday evening a section of the building collapsed, bringing the entire structure down, police said. |
Rescue efforts continued throughout the night and dozens have been injured. | Rescue efforts continued throughout the night and dozens have been injured. |
It is not yet clear what caused the collapse, but police inspector Digamber Jangale told the BBC it appeared to be due to the use of substandard building material. | It is not yet clear what caused the collapse, but police inspector Digamber Jangale told the BBC it appeared to be due to the use of substandard building material. |
Police said a case had been registered and an inquiry had begun and that they were searching for the builders to arrest them. | Police said a case had been registered and an inquiry had begun and that they were searching for the builders to arrest them. |
One witness, named only as Ramlal, said the building appeared to tilt before quickly collapsing. | One witness, named only as Ramlal, said the building appeared to tilt before quickly collapsing. |
"The building collapsed like a pack of cards within three to four seconds," he said. | "The building collapsed like a pack of cards within three to four seconds," he said. |
Schoolgirl Hasina Shaikh, who had lived with her family on the fifth floor, said she was lucky to be still alive. | |
"I had just returned from school and was changing when the building started shaking and came down on us," she told Mumbai's DNA newspaper. | |
"When I regained consciousness later, I was in the hospital." | |
In other recent incidents |