At least six people were confirmed dead and five others injured when a three-stories building collapsed in Mumbai Saturday, authorities said.
Authorities expect the number of fatalities to rise as rescuers continue to search for people reported missing as of Saturday night (China time).
A senior police official who requested anonymity said four bodies have been pulled out of the debris of the building that collapsed while two others died at a local hospital.
The building, which was located near Grant Road railways station in Mumbai, India, collapsed around 2 p.m. local time on Saturday. The building housed a beer bar and a factory.
“Four bodies have been pulled out of the debris of the three-stories building that collapsed around 2 p.m. near Grant Road railway station,” the police official said.
He added that the number of fatalities could go up as rescuers race against time to look for those who remained missing as of 8 p.m. (local time).
Several people are suspected to have been trapped under the debris.
“We have to act fast because as the darkness of the night is sure to hamper the rescue operation and could mean life and death for those are still trapped,” the police official said. Authorities were still investigating the cause of the collapse.
Building collapses are not uncommon in India due to the country’s poor construction practices, authorities said. Over the years, a number of buildings and establishments in the country collapsed due to poor architecture and engineering.
Indian courts have also ordered the demolition of a number of buildings in the country due to poor design, architecture and engineering. – BusinessNewsAsia.com