55 residents of Belapur building escaped before crash; victims were roommates

Navi Mumbai: The illegal structure in CBD-Belapur that collapsed Saturday and led to three deaths was constructed by the Waghmare family and had 17 small dwelling units and three shops. A total of 55 persons, including 16 minors, managed to escape before the building collapsed.
The three deceased have been identified as Miraj Shaikh (30), a resident of Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Meraj Ansari (24), a resident of Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, and Shafiq Ansari (29), a resident of Bhiwandi, Thane.All three were staying in the same room. Among the injured who were rescued in a 12-hour operation, Lalluddin Pathan (23) sustained abrasions while Ruksar Pathan (19) suffered a pelvis fracture. Both are under observation at a civic body hospital in Vashi.
Mumbra-resident Khurshid Ansari, said, “Meraj Ansari did not listen to his father’s advice to stay with us after he arrived from UP four days ago.” A unit of the National Disaster Response Force 5th Battalion-Pune posted in Badlapur was returning towards Thane in the wee hours when it was directed to head for the rescue operation midway.
NDRF inspector Sushant Sethi said, “Our canine team could not sniff out the trapped trio, although we did find the location of two of them later.”
“The deceased had sustained multiple leg and pelvis injuries. There may have been internal bleeding. Suffocation cannot be ruled out,” said civic hospital’s medical superintendent Dr Rajesh Mhatre.
Navi Mumbai municipal commissioner Kailas Shinde said the injured are being treated for free at govt hospital in Vashi. “A report is being sent to the Thane district administration for appropriate compensation to the kin of the deceased. Some of the residents are accommodated in our Niwara Centre (shelter home),” he said. Two of the owners of the buildings did not respond to this reporter’s calls.