Mumbai Tragedy: Mother Of 2 Toddlers Dies In Virar Building Slab Collapse Amid Heavy Rains; Children Narrowly Escape Death

Mumbai: A 35-year-old woman lost her life and her two young children were injured after a slab from the ceiling of their apartment collapsed in Virar near Mumbai on Monday, as torrential rains lashed the region. The incident occurred in the Pooja Apartment building in Gopcharpada, Virar East, a structure already marked 'dangerous' by the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC).

Mother Dies, Kids Escape Death With Minor Injuries

The victim, Lakshmi Singh, a homemaker, was inside her second-floor apartment with her seven-month-old infant and three-year-old son when a portion of the ceiling suddenly gave way and fell on her. She suffered severe injuries to her head. Alerted by neighbours, the police and fire brigade rushed to the spot. The rescue team managed to pull the trio from the debris and rushed them to a private hospital. Singh succumbed to her injuries during treatment, while her children fortunately escaped with only minor injuries.

Building Listed Under Dangerous Category By Civic Body

The building, already listed under the civic body’s high-risk category (C1), had not yet been vacated despite its precarious condition. “We had already classified the structure as dangerous and have now issued fresh notices to evacuate it immediately,” said assistant commissioner Gilson Gonsalves, as quoted by the Hindustan Times. He added that demolition of other similarly classified buildings would also begin soon to prevent further tragedies.

The Virar police have filed an accidental death report and are probing whether there was negligence on part of civic authorities that contributed to Singh’s death. The investigation will assess if timely enforcement of evacuation orders could have prevented the incident.

Following the collapse, the remaining residents of the building were swiftly evacuated and temporarily relocated to a nearby civic school, providing them with immediate shelter and basic amenities.

Mumbai Remains Under Red Alert

Meanwhile, weather conditions in Mumbai and the surrounding areas remain grim. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) maintained a red alert for Mumbai, warning of continued heavy to very heavy rainfall through the day. In nearby cities such as Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Kalyan, an orange alert has been issued, forecasting intense rainfall spells that could trigger more localised flooding and structural hazards.

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