A residential building in the western Indian state of Maharashtra has collapsed, killing one person and leaving 25 others trapped under the rubble, Indian media reported
NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th August, 2020) A residential building in the western Indian state of Maharashtra has collapsed, killing one person and leaving 25 others trapped under the rubble, Indian media reported.
According to the NDTV broadcaster, the three floors of the five-story building collapsed in the state's Raigad district on Monday evening.
The building was reportedly built about 10 years ago and was home to up to 250 people.
The National Disaster Response Force retrieved 60 residents from under the rubble during the rescue operation, which lasted over 12 hours, the broadcaster noted.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Interior Minister Amit Shah expressed their condolences in connection with the incident.
According to local authorities, a criminal case has been launched against the building's contractor, the construction workers, and the architect.
"The contractor is responsible for the disaster and a case has been registered against him. Also, if any government officials are involved in this, strict action will be taken against them," Eknath Shinde, the Maharashtra cabinet minister of urban development, said as cited by the media outlet.
The investigation will be launched after completion of the search and rescue operations.
