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zeenews via YouTube

Up to 70 people trapped after Mumbai building collapse

There were 22 families living in the five-story building, owned by the city’s civic administrative body.

A FIVE-STOREY residential block collapsed in Mumbai at daybreak today leaving up to 70 people feared trapped inside, in the latest building disaster to hit India’s financial capital.

Crowds formed around the rubble of the completely flattened block, owned by the city’s civic administrative body, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, in the east of the city.

“My son is inside. I’m waiting for them to get him out,” distraught 62-year-old retiree Mithi Solakani told AFP as rescue workers scrambled over tonnes of debris.

Several diggers were pressed into action to lift some of the larger slabs of concrete, allowing teams of rescuers to begin the task of taking out bodies and searching for survivors.

One was removed covered in dark red cloth and carried to a waiting ambulance on a stretcher. Crowds of women waiting nearby could be heard sobbing.

Families living in the building

Local politician Bhai Jagtap said that 22 families lived in the destroyed block and seven to eight people had been brought out alive.

“The rest of the people are down below, calling people from inside. Rescuers are doing their level best to save lives,” he told AFP.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) also said that 22 families were housed there.

“We think up to 70 people are trapped,” Alok Avasthy from the NDMA told AFP at the scene.

The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai said that the building was for employees of the local administration and their families who had been asked to leave earlier this year.

“The building was around 30 years old. We had issued a notice to them in April, to vacate the building, but they did not act,” Vijay Khabale-Patil, the corporation’s spokesman, told AFP.

He did not explain why the families had been asked to leave.

Five other apartment blocks have collapsed in or close to Mumbai in recent months, including one in April that killed 74 people.

They have highlighted poor quality construction and violations of the building code, caused by massive demand for housing and endemic corruption.

- © AFP 2013.

Read: Death toll reaches 45 in India building collapse>

Read: Primark pledges further funds for victims of Bangladesh factory collapse>

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    Mute Declan
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    Sep 27th 2013, 8:26 AM

    Building regulations in India must be terrible. Hope most, if not all get out alive.

    34
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    Mute Michael Mannion
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    Sep 27th 2013, 9:02 AM

    The regulations are not the problem, it’s corruption that’s the problem. As someone who works in India I can tell you, whenever an inspector visits he is not given a brown envelope, but a brief case.

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    Mute Karol doran
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    Sep 27th 2013, 8:18 AM

    Poor souls may they rest in peace and may The Lord be waiting with the gates of heaven open for them
    Thoughts and prayers

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    Mute Karol doran
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    Sep 27th 2013, 8:27 AM

    How could anybody red thumb a message of condolence?

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    Mute Anna Gram
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    Sep 27th 2013, 8:30 AM

    Because you are a troll.

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    Mute Laura Grimes
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    Sep 27th 2013, 8:35 AM

    Hi Karol not to sure why you got red thumbed, I am not religious in the slightest so would have green thumbed your message regardless of not believing in your God. A friend of my parents used to say “May your God be with you, if you have one”. One of my main bugbears is religions being intolerant so Journal readers please do not be intolerant of people who follow a religion. Best wishes to the people still trapped in the building. Sending love out to the Cosmos.

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    Mute David Crowley
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    Sep 27th 2013, 8:40 AM

    Because you don’t give a fcuk about them, you’re only interested in stirring shoite.
    Tool.

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    Mute Laura Grimes
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    Sep 27th 2013, 8:41 AM

    100% incorrect there Ted

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    Mute Criminal
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    Sep 27th 2013, 8:47 AM

    Because u are an egg. Post a msg when u come out of the shell

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    Mute Karol doran
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    Sep 27th 2013, 8:49 AM

    I’m confused I thought a troll said bad things. Thank you for your kind message Laura.
    Have a nice day folks I hope the get many people out safe and well plead god

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    Mute David Crowley
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    Sep 27th 2013, 9:56 AM

    No, a troll can also stir shoite through the use of passive aggressive comments like the ones you just vomited out.

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    Mute Kevin Smyth
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    Sep 27th 2013, 9:57 AM

    Karol’s tongue is firmly wedged in his/ her cheek.

    @Karol: Improvement needed ,as you’re not very good at this yet. Ask some of the other trolls for advice.

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    Mute Karol doran
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    Sep 27th 2013, 11:30 AM

    Kevin I am a lady
    I’m not too sure what you mean about my tongue I hope it is not a bad thing

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    Mute ptriley
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    Sep 27th 2013, 8:56 AM

    India isn’t a Christian county so I’m sure they would be praying to Ganeesh or whoever.

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    Mute William Rowlands
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    Sep 27th 2013, 9:24 AM

    Happens to often if we sent NAMA out there they would sort it

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