Virar apartment collapse: 2 dead, several trapped as building caves in during birthday celebration

Two people were killed, with eyewitnesses fearing that between 15 and 20 individuals are trapped beneath the rubble, when a section of a residential apartment building in Virar East collapsed in the early hours of Wednesday. Rescue operations are still underway.

The incident at Ramabai Apartment occurred whilst a birthday party for a one-year-old girl was being held on the structure’s fourth floor, according to reports in media.

According to a report from TOI, the collapse affected one wing of the two-winged structure. Emergency services, including police, fire brigade units and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), were immediately dispatched to the scene. Ambulances were also present to assist with the rescue operation.

So far, five individuals have been successfully extracted from the debris and have been admitted to the nearby VVCMC hospital for treatment. As reported by TOI, an eyewitness at the scene stated, “15/20 are said to be trapped under the debris.” However, there has been no official confirmation of any fatalities at this time.

In a precautionary move, authorities have fully evacuated the adjacent, undamaged wing of the building to prevent any further potential casualties. Rescue efforts are ongoing to locate survivors amidst ongoing assessments to determine the full extent of the structural damage.