Navi Mumbai: A 13-year-old boy died, and 13 others were injured after a ceiling slab collapsed in a ground-floor apartment of the three-storeyed Vidya Bhawan society in Sector 2, Koparkhairane, on Thursday evening, reports George Mendonca. Tuition classes were being run in the apartment. The deceased was identified as Manish Mhase, who was declared brought dead at NMMC hospital, Vashi. Those injured included tuition teacher Shamali Chaudhary (53). Other injured students were aged 5-15. Purushottam Jadhav, chief fire officer of Vashi, said, “We received the emergency call around 5.15 pm informing us that a ceiling slab had collapsed in Vidya Bhawan society in Koparkhairane. Our rescue team from Vashi and Koparkhairane fire stations, upon reaching the place, found several students of the tuition classes trapped under the debris. Our team immediately rescued them and rushed to NMMC hospital in the ambulance.“ Bharat Dhande, NMMC ward officer, said, “The three-storeyed residential building had obtained an occupancy certificate in 1998 and even the structural audit was done through a private agency, about five years ago, as informed by the society office-bearers.” Dhande further said that the society office-bearers were preparing for redevelopment, but due to objections from some members, it was delayed.. NMMC medical superintendent Dr Prashant Jawade said, “Only the injured 13-year-old boy, Manish Mhase, and tuition teacher Shamali Chaudhary (53) were brought to the NMMC by the police. While Manish was declared brought dead, the tuition teacher, Shamali Chaudhary, is being treated as she is under mental trauma. The other injured students have been admitted to private hospitals in Koparkhairane.”NMMC commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde said, “The said building has been completely vacated, and temporary accommodation arrangements have been made for the residents at Annasaheb Patil Cultural Centre in Koparkhairane. The concerned departments have been directed to conduct a structural audit of the said building.” The injured students include Siddhant Gupta (8), Prince Soni(11), Ayesh (11), Kulsum Khan (13), Nishika Dhanwade (13), Aradhya Borse (13), Tanvi Srivastava (7), Mani Rudra Patil, Prince Soni (14), Aaradhya Borse (13), Devansh Pujari (7), Rajdeep Wankhede (10), Parth Khairnar (12), Rudra Yerulkar (5) and tuition teacher Shamali Chaudhary (53).
