Thane building scare: 62-year-old woman crushed to death in balcony collapse; kin survives with injuries

THANE: A 62-year-old woman died while her accompanying relative escaped with injuries after a portion of a building balcony in Mumbra’s Lucky Compound collapsed on them while they passing by the area in the early hours of Tuesday, officials informed.Incidentally, this is the same area that witnessed the 2013 multi-storeyed building collapse that claimed several lives and left many maimed for life. The Tuesday incident occurred around 1am when Nahid Jamali and her relative Ilma Jamali, 26, both residents of nearby Kausa, were passing by the Lucky Compound near Madina Masjid. They were headed home to Sana Tower in nearby Kausa when a portion of the terrace flat balcony of the 25-year-old ground plus three-storey building suddenly gave way, and the debris collapsed on them.The noise of the debris collapse alerted passersby and locals, who spotted the duo with severe injuries and rushed them to the hospital. “While Nahid was declared dead on arrival at a private hospital, Ilma was admitted to another private facility for injuries. Fire brigade teams removed the unstable balcony part to prevent further mishaps. Four families staying in the structures have been evacuated, and the building has been sealed for safety,” informed Yasin Tadvi, in charge at the Thane regional disaster management cell.

A team of experts from the Mumbra Ward Committee will analyse the stability of the structure before deciding its fate, officials said. Meanwhile, the collapse once again raises concerns about the structural safety of ageing buildings in the city and suburbs. Authorities have called for thorough inspections and repairs to avoid similar incidents in the future.