Midnight tree collapse in Dadar damages vehicles amid Mumbai rain

An uprooted tree lies outside Madhavi Niwas in Tilak Nagar, Dadar East, after heavy overnight rain brought it crashing down shortly after midnight on Wednesday. No injuries were reported. PICS/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Residents of Tilak Nagar in Dadar East were jolted awake shortly after midnight on Wednesday after a large tree collapsed outside Madhavi Niwas during heavy overnight rain. The tree narrowly missed the residential building, with only a branch damaging parked vehicles. No injuries were reported. Civic first responders reached the spot after residents alerted the BMC Disaster Management helpline and cleared the fallen tree by around 1.45 am.

At a glance

Location: Road No. 1, Tilak Nagar, Dadar East
Time: Around midnight, Wednesday
Cause: Heavy overnight rain
Casualties: None
Damage: Branches hit parked vehicles
Debris cleared: By 1.45 am

Official response

mid-day sought a response from the BMC's Tree and Garden Department on precautions residents should take and whether a survey is planned. No reply was received till press time.

Residents speak

Khushal Sanghale, resident
"We woke up to the sound of something heavy falling. I later realised the tree in front of the neighbouring building had collapsed. By a miracle, my car escaped without a scratch. There was barely a 50-centimetre gap."

Narendra Nandu, resident of Madhavi Niwas
"We heard a loud noise and rushed downstairs. Only after seeing that the building was untouched did we breathe a sigh of relief. After Tuesday's Chembur incident, we feared the worst."

Namya Prabhakar, resident
"Many trees are old, and the soil around them has been washed away. A civic survey could identify dangerous trees before another accident happens."