At least two people have been killed and several are feared trapped after a four-storey building collapsed late on Friday night in Bhiwandi, a city near Mumbai. Five people are reported to be critically injured.
News agency ANI reported that the building was in a dilapidated state and "was being vacated" when the incident occurred.
ANI quoted Ashok Rankhamb, commissioner of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation, as saying four people had been rescued. Rankhamb said he had gone with officials to the building, which was illegally built eight years ago, to ask people to vacate. He said while most had vacated, some went back inside to fetch belongings. According to NDTV, officials ordered the evacuation of the building after cracks were seen on it and 22 families were moved out.
Personnel of the fire brigade and National Disaster Response Force are engaged in rescue operations.
