Hoarding collapse in Mumbai: ‘We could hear people screaming for help, but couldn’t do anything’

“We were supposed to travel to Belapur (Navi Mumbai) this evening for a family function and he (Balaji) decided to fill fuel in the vehicle in advance. When he reached the spot, the billboard collapsed,” said Shinde’s wife Rama.

Govandi resident Swapnil Khupte had stopped at the petrol pump to shelter himself from storms and rains. “The board fell on us suddenly and we got trapped underneath. We managed to come out on our own. We could hear people screaming for help, but I couldn’t do anything,” Khupte told The Indian Express. He suffered a major injury in his right eye, apart from other injuries.

Shubham Gangurde, 17, and Varun Thorat, cousins from Ramabai Nagar, had gone to the petrol pump to fuel Shubham’s scooter. “I went outside the pump to answer a call, and I saw the shade collapsing… Shubham was in the queue for fuel and was trapped,” said Thorat. Gangurde suffered back injuries and is being treated at Rajawadi Hospital, Ghatkopar.

Gopal Dutt, a taxi driver from Tilak Nagar, had stopped at the petrol pump to fuel his sedan, when he got trapped under the collapsed billboard. Dutt was stuck for nearly three hours before he was rescued by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). In the meantime, he had sent SOS messages from his mobile phone to his family members and colleagues.

“We reached the spot around 7.30 pm and within half an hour, our father was pulled out by the authorities,” said his daughter requesting anonymity. Dutt suffered a back injury.

According to witnesses, the billboard collapsed like a tree being uprooted. Sayyed Phansopkar, a customer at the petrol pump said, “As soon as I spotted the massive board collapsing, I ran out to ensure my safety. But my brother, who was with me, got trapped inside… Luckily he escaped as the board landed on a truck, leaving the people below with just minor injuries.”

“As gusty winds started blowing, the billboard started shaking and making noises… Fearing that it may collapse, many people started moving away and within minutes, the board crashed on the petrol pump,” said Sadiq Hussain, a resident.