Officials stated that the rear portion of the Ramabai Apartment in Swami Samarth Nagar suddenly collapsed at around 12:05 am on Wednesday. Debris removal and rescue efforts have been ongoing since then. The district administration has confirmed that a total of 17 people have been extracted from the rubble so far: 14 dead, one critically injured, and two rescued safely. The relief operation is still underway.
The Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) has confirmed that the building was illegal. The building was constructed in 2012 and contained a total of 50 flats. The collapsed section included 12 flats. Following a complaint from the corporation, the police arrested the builder.
District Collector Indu Rani Jakhar stated that there is a possibility of more people being trapped under the rubble. As a precaution, all the surrounding chawls have been evacuated, and the remaining residents of Ramabai Apartment have been moved to safer locations.
