Mumbai hoarding collapse: 14 dead, 74 injured in Ghatkopar; FIR registered

The death toll after a massive hoarding collapsed in Mumbai rose to 14 in the early hours of Tuesday, with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) running overnight rescue operations for those trapped. At least 74 people have been left injured in the incident.

NDRF inspector Gaurav Chauhan told news agency AFP that eight bodies have already been recovered after excavators dug through the wreckage to rescue those trapped inside under the collapsed billboard. Four more bodies were still buried inside the rubble, he said.

“We have located them but we cannot remove them due to this petrol pump and the situation can be hazardous,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar extended their condolences for those who lost their lives in the incident in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar, wishing a speedy recovery for those injured in the hoarding collapse.

Mumbai hoarding collapse: Top updates

A 70-metre billboard collapsed in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar on Monday after the city was hit by heavy rain and thunderstorms. The illegal hoarding fell on a petrol pump in Ghatkopar’s Cheddanagar Junction.

Rescue operations commenced on Monday evening, with 64 people admitted to the hospital. The NDRF conducted overnight rescue operations with excavators digging through the wreckage to retrieve the bodies still trapped in the rubble.

The BMC said, in a statement, on Monday evening that 20 to 30 people were still trapped inside the rubble from the hoarding collapse. However, the NDRF was facing issues in removing the rubble due to the collapse that occurred at a petrol pump, which could lead to a hazardous situation.

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde reached the spot of the incident on Monday to take stock of the situation. He also announced an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh for the families of the deceased, as well as treatment for those injured.

The BMC said the billboard was put up illegally, with no prior permissions taken from the corporation. Mumbai police have registered a case under IPC 304, 338, 337, and 34 against owner Bhavesh Bhide and others at Pantnagar police station.

Condoling the loss of life, President Murmu posted on X, “The news of several casualties due to the collapse of a hoarding in Ghatkopar area of Mumbai is extremely sad. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured and wish for the success of the relief and rescue operations.”