A 14-year-old student died after a first-floor slab collapsed at Vidya Bhavan Society in Koparkhairane, Navi Mumbai, on Thursday evening while a tuition class was underway on the ground floor. Fire brigade teams from Vashi, Koparkhairane and Airoli carried out a rescue operation and safely pulled out 12 students and a teacher from the debris
Fire brigade teams from Vashi, Koparkhairane, and Airoli engage in rescue operations.
A routine evening tuition class in Navi Mumbai turned tragic on Thursday after the first-floor slab of a residential building in Koparkhairane collapsed, killing a 14-year-old student and injuring 11 others.
The incident occurred around 5.20 pm at Vidya Bhavan building in Sector 2. A tuition class was underway on the ground floor at the residence of teacher Shamli Chaudhary (53) when a portion of the first-floor slab suddenly gave way and crashed into the room below.
Structure built in 1998 - Vidya Bhavan had 16 flats; renovation done last year but no roof repairs, says NMMC chief
Boy suffers fatal head injury
Twelve students were caught under the debris. Among them was Manish Mhase, a Class 7 student, who sustained critical head injuries after a chunk of the slab fell directly on him. He was rushed to Vashi Municipal Hospital, where doctors declared him dead during treatment.
The remaining 11 students suffered injuries ranging from minor to moderate and are currently undergoing treatment. Chaudhary sustained minor injuries and was discharged after primary medical care.
Rescue on war footing
Fire brigade teams from Vashi, Koparkhairane and Airoli rushed to the site within minutes and began rescue operations with the help of local residents. All trapped students were pulled out from the rubble.
An official said the area was briefly engulfed in dust and chaos as panicked parents and neighbours gathered outside the building.
Building was legal, says civic chief
Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) Commissioner Kailas Shinde said, “The Vidya Bhavan building was constructed in 1998 and is around 28 years old. It comprises 16 flats and is a legal structure, so no action had been initiated earlier.”
He added that the society had undertaken renovation work about a year ago, but no repairs were carried out on the roof or slab portion.
Civic authorities are expected to conduct a structural audit to ascertain the exact cause of the collapse. The incident has once again raised concerns over the safety of ageing buildings and tuition classes operating within residential premises.
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