India building collapse kills 11, many trapped

MUMBAI – A four-storey residential building collapsed in India’s financial capital Mumbai early yesterday, killing 11 people and leaving at least 25 trapped in the debris, police and hospital officials said.

Fire and police teams rescued 47 people from the building in the crowded Nagpada area of central Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, a police officer said. “There is a very large crowd and the streets are very narrow, so rescue efforts have slowed down a bit,” he said.A Reuters photographer on the scene said the narrow streets could only accommodate one fire truck or excavator at a time.Nearby buildings also hampered rescue attempts.Television news channels said between 25 and 30 people were believed trapped in the building which had a garment-making unit on its ground floor.Chances of finding more survivors appeared slim, news channels reported.Television images showed fire and police personnel using their bare hands to sift through the rubble.Earlier, residents of the area formed human chains to remove the debris and help injured people before rescue teams arrived, news channels reported.The building which collapsed yesterday was more than 100 years old, news channels reported.- Nampa-Reuters”There is a very large crowd and the streets are very narrow, so rescue efforts have slowed down a bit,” he said.A Reuters photographer on the scene said the narrow streets could only accommodate one fire truck or excavator at a time.Nearby buildings also hampered rescue attempts.Television news channels said between 25 and 30 people were believed trapped in the building which had a garment-making unit on its ground floor.Chances of finding more survivors appeared slim, news channels reported.Television images showed fire and police personnel using their bare hands to sift through the rubble.Earlier, residents of the area formed human chains to remove the debris and help injured people before rescue teams arrived, news channels reported.The building which collapsed yesterday was more than 100 years old, news channels reported.- Nampa-Reuters