Vile-Parle bldg falls on its face, 2 killed

The 14-year-old apartment building situated at Paranjpe Scheme, Road no 3 near Tilak High School fell on its face blocking the road and snapping palm trees in the compound of a building across the street.

Javeri’s wife, Ramilaben, was recovered from the debris after about five hours of the crash and rushed to the Nanavati Hospital. Her condition was stated to be critical when reports last came in. Three others, who were admitted to the Nanavati Hospital were discharged after treatment. Two more are undergoing treatment at the nearby Dr Shah’s Trupti hospital.

According to the fire brigade, the building collapsed at 11.55 pm when the beams at the ground floor, used as parking area, caved in. In a matter of seconds, the entire building came crashing down.

The enormity of the crash can be judged from the fact that almost the entire rear wall of the building came to rest where the first storey should have been. Unlike the Navre Apartments collapse at Sion last year, where the first storey remained partially intact, the entire structure of Pravin Smruti Apartments was reduced to rubble. The building had one flat per floor and housed 17 residents and some servants. The top-floor flat belonged to Gufic company, and was used only occasionally.

Four servants who were asleep in the parking area raised an alarm when they felt the building trembling. Even as they ran to safety, the beams caved in.According to the fire-brigade, Kumbla Venkatesh (22), another servant, was trapped inside the elevator but he was removed from the debris unscathed. He and two other servants, who received injuries on the legs, were taken to the Nanavati Hospital where they were discharged after first-aid.

Sixty eight-year-old Rasik Jaichand Jhaveri and his wife Dyamantiben were asleep in their second-floor flat when the building collapsed. Their son Dhiren had left for Pune with his wife and son in the morning. Jhaveri and his wife, who received injuries in their legs and backs, were the first ones to be rescued, and were rushed to Dr Shah’s hospital nearby.

Jhaveri, lying in his hospital bed, said: “We were fast asleep and I do not remember much of what happened. I was awakened by a deafening sound and next thing I knew was that my wife and I were buried under the ceiling. I do not remember for how long we were trapped. I regained consciousness only after being admitted to the hospital,” Jhaveri said.

The fourth-floor residence of the Mehtas was unoccupied when the building collapsed. Shantilal B Mehta said: “I had gone to a nearby temple to attend the Chaturi Utsav. My wife and daughter-in-law were away at their respective parents’ houses, and my son had gone to the movies.”

“When I came back, I saw a crowd gathered in the lane. First I was terrified, but then I remembered that nobody was there at my flat,” he added.

For R P Shah and his wife Smitaben, residents of the third-floor flat, it was Raksha Bandhan that saved their lives. “We have a flat at Sion and stay here only for about 10 to 15 days in a month. We would have been here last night had we not gone to my mother’s place to celebrate Raksha Bandhan,” Smitaben said.

A terrified neighbourhood woke up to what many described as the sound of an air-crash. Kishore Udani, a resident of the adjoining Parleshwar Apartments said: “I heard the noise and thought that it was either a plane crash or a bomb blast. As I looked out of the window of my terrace flat, I saw only clouds of dust where Pravin Smruti Apartments should have been. I realised that the building had collapsed and immediately telephoned the fire-brigade and the police.”

Chief Fire Officer V V Rao told Express Newsline"We received the emergency call at 11.58 pm and acted promptly. We rushed ten fire engines and two ambulances to the spot. The rescue operations are going on quite satisfactorily. Two front-end loaders are removing the debris, and we expect to clear most of it by late evening.”

Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs), Ratnakar Gaikwad said the BMC will initiate an inquiry into the collapse.

Gaikwad, who reached the spot hours after the incident, said, “I am surprised as to how a concrete building built in the 1980s collapse like this. I am told that the residents were not even carrying out any major renovation work which could have led to the collapse.

"The construction was obviously poor, but we will have to look into the details.”

When asked if the BMC would give alternative accommodation to the residents, Gaikwad said, “This was a private building owned by the society, and so it will be premature to comment on this issue. Most building crashes in South Mumbai occur in cessed properties and the residents are given temporary accommodation in transit camps, but in this case a decision will be made only after detailed inquiries.