Mumbai Chawl Collapse Kills Six, Including Five Children
A three-storey residential building in Mumbai’s Mankhurd area collapsed late Sunday night, killing six people, five of them children, officials said. The incident occurred at the Janata Nagar chawl around 8:30 p.m. amid heavy monsoon rains.
The Mumbai Fire Brigade, police, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) ward staff, and ambulances responded to the scene. Rescue teams worked through debris to extricate those trapped. The injured were taken to Rajawadi Hospital and Shatabdi Hospital.
According to Shatabdi Hospital, five people were declared dead on arrival: a 32-year-old woman and four children aged between two and 14 years. Rajawadi Hospital reported that a seven-year-old boy died during treatment. A 24-year-old man remains hospitalized in stable condition.
The building, a chawl typical of old Mumbai tenements, housed several families in cramped conditions. Officials said two to three tenements collapsed, suggesting a partial structural failure. Heavy rains have been lashing the city, often exacerbating the vulnerability of aging structures.
BMC officials have ordered an inquiry into the collapse. Such incidents are not uncommon during the monsoon season, when waterlogging weakens foundations. Authorities have repeatedly flagged unsafe buildings, but many remain occupied due to a shortage of affordable housing.
The police have registered a case and are investigating possible negligence. The state government has announced compensation of ₹5 lakh to the families of the deceased.
This tragedy underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement of building safety norms and faster rehabilitation of residents in dilapidated structures.
