2 killed in Phoenix Mills crash

The incident occurred in the huge compound of Phoenix Mills – on the side less glamorous than where the Standard Chartered Bank and Phoenix Towers stand. The main building, which bystanders said was used in the early days for making cloth, was being repaired and simultaneously reconstructed. The building was filled with bamboo props and iron bars. Bamboo scaffolding was on the outside, where the labourers say, around 35 people had been working since morning.

According to Mishra, writhing in pain in KEM Hospital, it happened when one of the main props holding the roof gave through and tumbled over. Immediately the whole facade of the portion towards the west gave away, trapping the workers under it. Even as rescue operations continued till late evening, firemen were keeping watch on the roof, which is hanging perilously. Even pigeons sitting on the hanging rubble were shooed off, fearing they might cause an onslide.

If that was not bad enough, the rubble on the ground made it difficult for the JCB machine to work. Generators roared to help the electric cutters cut through the concrete and iron rods. Ghanshyam, one of the last persons to be rescued late evening, had to wait for around an hour before the chunks of concrete on his legs could be cut off and the rest of the rubble around him sawed off by the cranes. It was only then that he could be physically pulled out by the firemen. Otherwise fine, with a few cuts over his eye, Ghanshyam however suffered a smashed left leg and was admitted to KEM Hospital.

However, by late evening, other two JCB machines were brought in to clear the rubble.

According to Mishra and other labourers at the site, the company itself had undertaken to repair the building and had not employed any contractor company to do so. There were, however, three contractors supplying labour. While a total of around 150 labourers working on the huge building for the past six months, today being a holiday, fewer labourers turned out to work.

The management of Phoenix Mills, owned by Bharat Ruia, and closed as far as mill activity is concerned, however, had no spokesperson at the site. In fact, even as others pointed out to a person and said he was Bharat Ruia, the person escaped from mediapersons and denied he was Ruia. “I am from the dumper company,” he said.

None of the other cellphone-weilding persons moving around the site admitted to having anything to do with the management. Members of the local Shiv Sena shakha, however, were there at hand with water and other material offering help, while doctors from Sion Hospital were on duty for the labourers.

At KEM and Nair Hospital, while none of the labourers were diagnosed serious, routine checks included getting their CT scans and other x-rays done to check for fractures, if any.

Police said no arrests have been made and they were taking down statements of the injured.