Mumbai building collapse LIVE: BMC issued eviction notice for demolition in 2017

At least 12 people died after a four-storey building collapsed in Mumbai's Dongri area on Tuesday morning. Several people are still feared trapped under the debris. The NDRF teams have rescued nine people from the debris and they are currently undergoing treatment at local hospitals. 

The Kesarbhai building was situated on Tandel Street in Dongri.

"This building must be 90-100 years old. I saw the bodies of some children. There were some seven-eight families in the building," an eyewitness was quoted as saying by NDTV.

"As per the initial information I have received, around 15 families are feared trapped in the collapse. The building is around 100 yrs old. The entire focus is on rescuing the people trapped. An investigation will be done," said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavios.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and fire brigade have rushed to the site for search and rescue operations. The NDRF has declared the situation as a Level 2 incident. Level 1 is the most serious.

"The entire structure has collapsed and we have sought help from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), apart from other agencies like the BMC and the Mumbai Police," an officer part of the Fire Brigade told The Hindu.

A BMC official said that the building was a Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority building. It was not part of the list of dilapidated buildings which the authorities had curated for the monsoon season.

"I pray for the well-being of the people trapped inside the collapsed four-storey building. My condolences are with the families. Congress workers are requested to help in the rescue operation. This is the third incident which has recently happened. Why was the action not taken on time?" Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress general secretary tweeted. 

"The situation is very grave. Our efforts are concentrated towards saving maximum lives. This was an illegal building. We are looking into all aspects of the illegality, and who is to be held responsible. The nearby buildings have been vacated," said Maharashtra Housing Minister Radha Krishna Vikhepatil. 

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that compensation for the victims' families will be announced after the cause of the collapse is ascertained. 

"Three teams of NDRF are engaged in rescue operations. Pathway to the collapsed building is very narrow and the vehicles with rescue equipment are unable to reach there," SN Pradhan, DG, NDRF told the media. 

The narrow lanes leading to the collapsed building are making the search and rescue operations difficult along with the throngs of people in the area. 

An MHADA official confirmed that the construction fo the building was illegal and that it was built near a cess building. The Kesarbhai building had 11 rooms and a madrasa on the ground floor. 

"The collapsed building was constructed by a private trust. The BMC is the planning authority and it will inquire whether the building was authorised or unauthorised. Accordingly, the police action will be decided in the incident," Ravindra Waikar, minister of state for housing told TOI. 

The seven have been shifted to JJ Hospital and Habib Hospital for treatment.

According to news agency, ANI, a child has been admitted to a local hospital after he was rescued from the debris. His condition is now stable. Five people till now have been resuced and shifted to JJ Hospital and Habib Hospital for treatment. 

In a recently surfaced document dated August 7, 2017, theBrihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had classified the building as a C1 building and had ordered for its demolition at the earliest possible.