Three Injured as Fifth-Floor Slab Collapses in Thane Building, 90 Residents Evacuated
A major structural failure occurred in a residential building in Thane's Wagle Estate area in the early hours of Tuesday, leaving three people injured and forcing the evacuation of approximately 90 residents. The incident has raised serious concerns about building safety in older structures.
Early Morning Collapse in Wagle Estate
The alarming incident took place at precisely 3:07 am at Nutan Neelam Apartment, located near Hanuman Temple in Shantinagar. According to officials from the regional disaster management cell, a concrete slab from room 501 on the fifth floor suddenly gave way and crashed directly into the room below it.
The building in question is a ground-plus-five-storey structure that has been standing for over three decades. The force of the collapse created immediate danger for residents throughout the building.
Injuries and Emergency Response
The three individuals injured in the collapse have been identified as:
- Gajendra Prasad (60) who sustained a fracture to his right shoulder
- Prince Yadav (25) who suffered a fractured right leg
- Pradeep Yadav (23) who sustained injuries to both legs and other parts of his body
All three victims were initially rushed to a civic hospital for emergency treatment. However, officials later reported that one of the injured individuals, whose condition turned critical, had to be shifted to a private hospital in Mumbai for advanced medical care.
Mass Evacuation and Building Classification
Following the collapse, emergency responders including fire brigade teams, disaster management officials, police personnel, and building department authorities rushed to the scene. The immediate priority became ensuring resident safety.
Yasin Tadvi, in charge at the regional disaster management cell, confirmed that approximately 85 to 95 residents from the building's 25 flats had to be evacuated as a precautionary measure. These residents were temporarily shifted to a nearby municipal school while authorities assessed the situation.
"The building was classified under the dangerous C2B category and had to be evacuated as a precaution," Tadvi stated. "Both wings of the apartment have been sealed, and further action will be taken by the civic building department."
Safety Concerns and Ongoing Investigation
The incident has highlighted significant safety concerns regarding older residential buildings in urban areas. The classification of the building as "dangerous" under the C2B category indicates structural issues that had been previously identified but apparently not adequately addressed.
Authorities have sealed the entire building while investigations continue into the exact cause of the slab collapse. The civic building department is expected to conduct a thorough structural assessment to determine whether similar incidents might occur in other aging buildings in the area.
This early morning collapse serves as a stark reminder of the importance of regular building safety inspections, particularly for structures that are several decades old and may not have been constructed with modern safety standards in mind.
