Thane: A 62-year-old woman died while her accompanying relative escaped with injuries after a portion of a building balcony in Mumbra’s Lucky Compound collapsed on them as they were passing by the area in the early hours of Tuesday, officials said.The incident occurred in the same area that witnessed a multi-storeyed building collapse in 2013, which claimed several lives and left many maimed for life. On Tuesday, around 1 am, Nahid Jamali and her relative Ilma Jamali, 26, both residents of nearby Kausa, were passing by Lucky Compound near Madina Masjid. They were headed home to Sana Tower in Kausa when a portion of the terrace flat balcony of the 25-year-old ground plus three-storey building suddenly gave way, and debris collapsed on them.The noise of the collapse alerted passersby and locals, who spotted the duo with severe injuries and rushed them to the hospital. “While Nahid was declared dead on arrival at a private hospital, Ilma was admitted to another private facility for injuries. Fire brigade teams removed the unstable balcony part to prevent further mishaps. Four families staying in the structures have been evacuated, and the building has been sealed for safety,” said Yasin Tadvi, in charge at the Thane regional disaster management cell.A team of experts from the Mumbra Ward Committee will analyse the stability of the structure before deciding its fate, officials said. Meanwhile, the collapse once again raises concerns about the structural safety of ageing buildings in the city and suburbs. Authorities have called for thorough inspections and repairs to avoid similar incidents in the future.
