Virar building collapse: Lives saved despite narrow lanes, unstable structures in 38-hr operation

According to the rescue teams, from the beginning, rescuers faced severe challenges.

Narrow lanes prevented heavy machinery like JCBs from reaching the site, while the unstable building posed a constant risk of further collapse.

“Every step was dangerous. We had to carefully remove debris to avoid harming those trapped below,” said an NDRF official, adding that initially they had to remove the debris manually since the machinaries could not be used.

Initially, the fire brigade rescued residents trapped near the top layers of debris, while two bodies were recovered late Tuesday night.

The NDRF teams then joined the operation, speeding up the rescue work.

By Wednesday morning, 11 residents had been rescued.

Clearing the debris was slow because of the narrow roads and compact layout. By Wednesday afternoon, partial demolition of the building and adjacent chawls allowed rescuers to reach deeper areas. Sniffer dogs played a key role in locating pockets where people were trapped, guiding teams to residents buried under eight feet of rubble.

After 20 hours of continuous work, 16 people had been rescued — seven dead and nine injured. By the 24th hour, 21 residents were pulled out, though the death toll rose to 12. Five people remained trapped under debris, and rescue operations continued into Thursday.

Among those rescued, Manthan Shinde was pulled out around 3. 30 am on Wednesday, nearly four hours after the collapse. NDRF officials said he was lucky to have survived because a cavity had formed within the debris due to the angles of fallen beams, creating space for him to hold on. Manthan, admitted to Prakriti Hospital, said, “I was trapped under the debris and was removed by the NDRF rescue teams. I was immediately rushed here in the hospital. I thank the authorities for saving me.”

By the end of the 38-hour operation, all trapped residents were rescued, though 17 lost their lives.

Officials said that the narrow lanes, unstable structures, and compact building layout made the operation extremely difficult.  The coordination of the municipal fire brigade, NDRF teams, police, and sniffer dogs ensured the successful completion of the rescue.

Hundreds left homeless

Residents of the collapsed building and nearby chawls were forced to evacuate their homes, leaving household items trapped inside. Many blamed the builder for ignoring repeated warnings from civic authorities.

“We have been urging the builder time and again to take action, but he ignored notices by civic authorities. Earlier, parts had fallen on our chawl, but he did nothing. When the portion collapsed on our chawl, I was trapped for more than half an hour. Initially, there was help from authorities, but I was rescued by locals only,” said Swanand Mahalgavkar, a resident of an adjacent chawl.

Residents have pleaded to retrieve essential items and documents from their flats, but officials cited safety concerns. “All our belongings are inside, and we have been on the road for nearly 48 hours with just the clothes we wore. How are we expected to survive like this?,” said a group of women residents urging the authorities to provide relief and houses.