Virar Woman Dies After Slab Collapses In Her Home; 3rd Such Incident in 11 Days

Virar: In a tragic incident, a 54-year-old woman lost her life after a residential ceiling slab reportedly collapsed inside her apartment in Virar West, located in Maharashtra’s Palghar district near Mumbai. The incident took place on Friday afternoon at the Merchant Apartment in the MB Estate locality, officials confirmed on Saturday.

The victim, identified as Alfiya Abbas Manaswala, was at home with her family when the collapse occurred. According to police sources, Alfiya resided in Flat No. 11 on the second floor of the building’s C-Wing with her husband, son Hussain Manaswala, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren.

At the time of the incident, her son and his family were in the bedroom, while Alfiya and her husband were sleeping in the hall. Without warning, the slab above the hall reportedly gave way and collapsed, critically injuring Alfiya. Emergency services were called, and she was immediately taken to Sanjeevani Hospital in Virar. However, she succumbed to her injuries during treatment.

“We have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR),” confirmed Police Sub-Inspector Raam Kundgir from Bolinj Police Station, as quoted by the Lokmat Times. Cops are now investigating the cause of the collapse and whether negligence or poor building maintenance may have contributed to the tragedy.

Mother Of 2 Toddlers Dies In Slab Collapse

This is the third such slab collapse reported in the Vasai-Virar region in just 11 days, raising urgent questions about the structural integrity and safety of aging residential buildings in the area. Earlier, a 35-year-old woman died and her two young children sustained injuries after a portion of the ceiling collapsed in their apartment in Virar East near Mumbai on Monday, May 25. The incident occurred at the Pooja Apartment in the Gopcharpada area, as the region was battered by relentless monsoon rains.

The deceased has been identified as Lakshmi Singh, a homemaker who lived on the second floor of the building with her family. At the time of the incident, she was inside the apartment with her seven-month-old infant and three-year-old son when a section of the ceiling gave way, crashing down on them.

Authorities from the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) had previously marked the Pooja Apartment as a ‘dangerous’ structure, highlighting concerns about its deteriorating condition. Despite the warning, families continued to reside in the building.

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