Daijiworld Media Network – Bhiwandi

Bhiwandi, Jul 31: A man was killed and four to five others are feared trapped after a ground-plus-four residential building collapsed in Maharashtra's Bhiwandi in the early hours of Friday, officials said.

The building, which had been declared structurally unsafe by the Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC), collapsed while repair work was underway. Authorities said labourers engaged in the repair work were inside the structure when it came crashing down.

The deceased has been identified as Shamim. His body was recovered from the debris at around 6.45 am.

Rescue teams from the Bhiwandi Fire Brigade and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) launched a search operation using heavy machinery to locate those feared trapped beneath the rubble.

Officials said four to five people are believed to be trapped, although the exact number has not yet been confirmed.

BJP MLA Mahesh Choughule, who visited the site, said the civic body had issued four to five notices to residents after declaring the building unsafe and had directed them to vacate the premises.

According to him, most families had moved out following the notices, but a few residents continued to stay in the building.

Officials added that some occupants managed to escape after the structure began collapsing.

Rescue operations were continuing at the site, and authorities said further details would be known once the search is completed.